Skydancer
by xsphinxslady
Summary: Rogue discovers that she's not as alone as she thinks when twin mutants come to the Manor under dangerous circumstances. Which means a pair of feral brothers and one Cajun charmer better watch their backs...who knows what can happen once the infamous Skydancer shows up... OC's Rogan Victor/Gambit/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Skydancer**

**Author's Note: This is my AU way of playing in the giant sandbox that is X-Men fanfiction. Major differences from canon include but aren't limited to the following: Rogue keeping Wolverine's dog tags, Scott and Professor X being alive, Victor's character somewhat OOC from some canon, and Rogue's OC siblings Skydancer, Blaze, and Blade. Mystique is still Rogue's biological mother with an OC father who is the father of Rogue's OC sister Skydancer and her half-siblings Blaze and Blade.**

**Skydancer, Blaze, Blade, and Michael are all original characters.**

**This is a complex X-Men fanfiction with strong ROGAN elements but doesn't focus exclusively on that part of the story. This is Skydancer's story because she won't get the hell out of my head.**

**Mature Content Warning! Contains adult language, violence, and adult/sexual situations.**

**_Disclaimer:_**** Obviously any recognizable characters belong to someone with a lot more money than me.**

**One**

I was alone when it took me. When I changed. Among the many small blessings I've been given, that one is right up there at the top of the pile. I shudder at the thought of what would've happened to me if I'd done _that_ for the first time in front of an audience. Or God forbid in front of a camera crew. Lately there's been more and more interest in ballet, a good thing for the dance, but a bad thing for me.

In one moment my career and my life was gone.

I was the _prima ballerina absoluta_. The finest dancer in the world at a mere twenty years of age. People would always wonder at that, at my natural talent for the dance. How I was a _prodigy_. How I was _gifted._ I laugh to myself. If only they knew.

They knew nothing about the rigorous lessons twice daily since I was three.

They knew nothing about the sacrifice and pain it took for me to get to the top of the mountain that is professional ballet.

About sweat, blood, tights, and tears.

They knew nothing about me.

And it turned out…neither did I.

The best that I could figure out, once I stopped freaking out, is that my newest _gift_ was an extension or evolution of my old one. My dancing ability. My mutation.

I've always, even as a child, been just that little bit stronger, more flexible, quicker to learn and pick up the moves and routine of the dance.

I wanted to be a fighter. My mother wanted me to be a dancer.

Kinda hard to argue with the woman when you're only three.

My father – God how I loved him – decided the compromise. I would dance. And if I still wanted to learn how to fight when I was six I could. As long as I kept dancing.

I still wanted to learn. And I did. Turned out all the fight training turned me into an even better dancer – and vice versa.

It wasn't just the speed, the strength, or the quick mind that set me apart.

My skin did too.

It…well…it glowed…glows. I kinda…luminesce…like a pearl. I learned quickly when _that_ started happening when I was ten to cover it up. Not hard when you spend 90% of your time in long-sleeved tutu's and tights or in bodysuits for sparring. Makeup took care of the rest. Mutants were just starting to "come out of the closet" so to speak when I turned into a glowstick. But even at ten I could already see where it was going. Straight to Hell.

They didn't call me a prodigy lightly. My physical abilities have nothing on my mental ones. Anything that had to do with history and science and world affairs I gobbled up.

I was a strange child. Now I'm an even stranger adult. I never really had a sense of innocence about me. But I always had a sense that something was missing. There was a part of me – and it was a big fucking piece – that was misplaced somehow. Not gone or dead. Just missing. That's never changed.

I learned the other thing my skin did completely on accident. I was rushing around the house when I was thirteen, trying to find something or other before lessons, when I plumb smacked into one of my parent's assistants. All of a sudden I had another person's thoughts in my head, their memories, even their emotions.

Freaked me the fuck out.

She was fine, barely even registered the collision. And I got a crash course on building mental walls.

And then…just when I had my life exactly as my family always planned…

I started fucking _floating._

I was practicing my _jetés_ – leaps in the air like doing a split with your arms extended, gracefully of course – when _bam! _Airborne for reals.

_Well, they always said I looked like I was trying to "become the air" when I did my leaps…_

And my back fucking _itched_…and ached. To say I was startled would be a massive understatement.

However…all was not lost.

I was alone, in my practice room in my Manhattan loft. There – Thank God! – were no witnesses to this wonderful little feat of genetic suckage.

Although…looking in the mirrored wall…my pearl-gray wings are pretty sweet. Like an angel's wings…but a nice gray instead of white. Which suits me very well. I've never been much of an angel.

I fall to my knees as my new wings give out, the breath coming ragged and painfully fast. I'm panting, close to hyperventilating.

Wings.

I have fucking wings.

Ok. Calm down. Assess the situation, then freak out if FUBAR. Then freak out some more.

I've always kept myself in a safe little land of denial when it comes to my mutation. The mental stuff, the physical stuff, all of that can be explained away with a little recreational self-deception and a little more recreational therapy of the mind-altering kind.

Lots of people are fast, and flexible, and strong. Lots of people are freak-of-nature smart. Lots of people have superhuman drive to succeed. Lots of people glow…and can absorb thoughts and memories.

Ok, even I admit that last one is a little much to take, hence the recreational drug abuse. Sometimes. Not very often. Ok. Once. But dammit I deserved that high!

Wings though…there's no way to lie to myself or anyone else about this. No drug or cure that's going to take them away.

And the more I stare at the new me in the mirror…the less I want it to go away.

Taking a last shaky breath I climb to my feet and stretch out my new accessories. Looking into the mirror at my reflection – a petite, pretty ballerina with grey wings longer than she is tall and the same soft grey as her eyes – I like this new me. The grey wings match my eyes, always my favorite thing about myself, and go well with my black hair and white skin. I have that whole Snow White thing going for me.

With wings.

A beaming smile stretches over the woman in the mirror and I feel it's twin on my face. Nodding to myself and saying goodbye to the ballerina I used to be I fold up my wings and striding over to my cell phone sitting on a bench along one wall I make a call I've been putting off for a long time. Not to my Daddy – he passed two years ago – but to his wife. My mother.

_Ring-ring-ring._

She picks up, her cold uppercrust voice just frosty enough to let me know I'm being an inconvenience. Again.

"Dara." Not even a hello, how are you.

"Mother." I matched her formal tone with equal severity. "I know."

"Know what, child?"

"That I'm adopted."

Rogue stares out from her window seat in the Manor, forehead resting softly against the glass. She shudders. It's been five years since Jean's death and she's twenty-two now. She still has a hard time getting that bitch out of her head. Make that both bitches. After refusing at the last second to take the Cure she went to Alcatraz on her own – and killed the Phoenix by absorbing her and caging her within her mind.

Thank god for Logan and Eric. The two of them kept that bitch on a leash from the start. Jean was a little harder to manage with Logan's oh-so-conflicted feelings for the redhead. Bobby and John had to help Eric with guard duty on her.

It was rough for a long time. Logan, while thankful he didn't have to kill the woman he loved, still had a hard time reconciling himself to the fact that Rogue was willing to kill and nearly become the Phoenix to save him from having to kill Jean.

Her telepathy and telekinesis is permanent now, along with Eric's metal manipulation and Logan's healing and heightened senses. Not that she's ever told anyone that. Not even Logan or the new-and-improved Professor X.

She's already a pariah among her own. Deadly skin and power absorption kinda tends to have that affect. Add in being a bona fide mutant killer and well…

Thank god for the few friends she's managed to keep. Even if four of them are only in her head.

_Hey, darlin', we're still friends no matter what. _Her Psyke's – the inner copies of those she's taken into herself – are better conversationalists most days than the others at the Manor.

_Yeah. _Psyke John pipes up. _I might be on the "other side" now but I'm still your friend. Even if Bobby has turned into a major IcePrick._

_Grrrr._ Wolvie just growls at the reminder. At least Wolvie and Logan aren't going rounds today. Nothing makes a migraine faster than those two dimwits doing their cage-match in her damn mind.

_Hey the other me's not… No. He is that bad. _I smile. At least the Bobby in my head still likes me.

_Don't worry so much my child. _Eric's smooth voice comforts me. _How many times have I told you that you're meant for great things. I rather doubt that killing one psychopath is all fate has planned for you._

I feel my friends surround me with their warmth and smile a little for the first time in a while.

_Logan is still gone. _I whisper back, looking over at the dog tags I have hanging on one of the four posters of my queen sized bed. _He hasn't been back in almost three years. Scott's finally moving on. Emma is wonderful with him. Ro is married to Hank. Kurt's taken his vows. Bobby and Kitty…and Peter and Jubes. I can't help but wonder…where's mine?_

_You'll get yours, sweetheart. _A voice I haven't heard for years makes my tears fall once again. David. My sweet, sweet first love. Who spent three weeks in a coma because of me. _It was worth it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Logan'll be back someday, or you'll meet someone else who can look past the skin to the wonderful woman you are. You'll get yours. I promise._

He sent me the impression of a kiss before fading back away, leaving me to my tears and the care of the others in my head.


	2. Chapter 2

**Skydancer**

**Mature Content Warning! Contains adult language, violence, and adult/sexual situations.**

**_Disclaimer:_**** Obviously any recognizable characters belong to someone with a lot more money than me.**

**Two**

It took weeks to disentangle myself from the muddle of my professional life. Being a ballerina with contracts and commitments, someone so damn high profile, it wasn't like I could just pack a bag and take off. People would've looked for me, important people, the kind you have to be invisible to evade for long.

Too bad that's not my mutation.

Good thing I've had a bail-out plan in place for years, ever since my mutation started evolving from something benign – glowing skin and advanced senses and reflexes aren't dangerous _per se_ – into something worth killing to possess. Overnight I became a human – or mutant I should say – lie detector and information gatherer. If it wasn't for my goddamn brain that never shuts the fuck off I never should've been able to deal with the sudden influx of information I started getting from ever little touch. And believe me with a mother like mine there's some things you just _don't _wanna know.

I found out about being adopted because of my skin. I always knew I wasn't quite…right. I didn't quite fit. Not with my mother at least. My Daddy was amazing. He thought my pearly skin was amazing, proof that he'd been right all along – I was a blessing and a special child.

Mommy Dearest…not so much.

It happened while Daddy was still alive. Which turned out to be a good thing. I brushed hands with Mommy Dearest while we were having tea, a test run if you will of my social graces before being presented to her "friends" _like that bitch could make friends_, for inspection.

An interview to see if I was mature enough to travel to London to study and perform with the Royal Ballet Company in London. Can't send a gauche American to perform before the nobility after all. Gasp. What if my poor manners were catching?

Mommy Dearest's friend were the couple I would be fostered out to while in London – the main choreographer and the company director. Heady stuff for a thirteen year old to deal with.

But I digress.

A little brush of her little finger against the back of my hand and bam! information overload. Most of it was just little digs and hateful thoughts about me. But one thing she shared, albeit unknowingly, snagged my attention and damn near stopped my heart.

_I hope the little bitch doesn't embarrass me in front of Donovan. I'd be absolutely mortified! Well, at least I know it isn't __my__ fault if she ends up being useless. That woman from the adoption agency assured me the creature would be perfect for my ends. God forbid I actually have to carry a child…my figure would never be the same._

While confusing at first, I nearly froze as I raised the cup to my lips. _Adoption agency_. Thank God, this woman isn't my blood. Her selfish vapidity and casual viciousness isn't something I can inherit.

The tea went well and I went off to London, but not before intentionally using my power for the first time. This time on my Daddy.

I learned a lot of things from him following that spontaneous hug right before boarding the plane. He thought nothing of it. While we generally weren't affectionate in public, it was hardly the first time we hugged.

It was a total barrage of information, memories, thoughts, impressions, sights, smells. It was confusing and disorienting and gave me one bitch of a migraine.

But I came out of it with a wealth of knowledge I desperately needed. Including where to start looking for my real mother once I was old enough not to need permission.

So I studied, and danced, and learned to be dangerous, taking memories and information at will from the people I saw all around me.

Much of what I learned sickened me and I taught myself how to erase the knowledge I couldn't bear to live with.

Donovan – the director – had an unhealthy…interest…in me for one. And he knew more than an honest man should about fraud and manipulation.

His wife…she could give Mommy Dearest stiff competition for the title of Queen Bitch. Arranging to have a competing ballerina raped and nearly maimed for one thing. And filming it for her viewing pleasure for another.

Some of the people I took into myself were good people though.

One of the stage hands at the ballet company taught me Muy Thai and how to climb and maneuver with ropes – rock climbing and jungle survivalist skills. I couldn't quite clarify how he knew the last…something told me I didn't want to know.

Another taught me how to tie ropes, and get myself out of even the toughest knots.

I learned lock-picking and pick-pocketing. How to kill and how to field dress wounds. Surgical procedures and techniques were filed side-by-side with ballet positions and battle strategies.

And all the while I made plans for my eventual escape from the life I was sold into before I even took my first breath.

Rogue lifts her head away from the class at the sound of feet running through the halls. Classes are over for the day. Absently with the casualness of an oft-repeated motion, she brushes aside her tears. Lonely or not, soul-weary or rejoicing, she has a duty and a mission to the children at Professor X's.

Today her duty lies in the Danger Room training some of the budding X-Men before going through her own sequences alongside the main team.

Just another cause of tension between herself and the others her physical age. Nobody could say she's mentally a young woman anymore, not with hundreds of years of life experiences floating around in her head. But along with those years of experience came years of knowledge, especially from Logan, Wolvie, and Eric.

Even without her enhanced powers, she's the best combat-skilled fighter they have.

And that was before she started seeking out other forms of martial arts and street fighting all on her own. One thing she learned from Eric was not to let herself stagnate or become arrogant the way he did.

Sighing, Rogue changes quickly into the black spandex bodysuit with the green swirls along the sides that she prefers for workouts and sparring with the X-Mini's as the Logan Psyke calls the junior and probationary members. Much cooler and easier to deal with than the heavy leather uniform for her own Danger Room sessions and missions.

Pulling up her light boots with the smooth sole – better to use her natural balance and grasp than an artificial mimic – she arranges her striped hair into a quick braid and leaving her room moves smoothly into the elevator.

Arriving in the subbasement that houses the workout and training rooms as well as the Danger Room she takes stock of her roster for the day.

The X-Mini's, all of the younger and junior members, stood mingling and laughing outside the Danger Room control room. Their team leader, Colossus or Pete, was trying unsuccessfully to rein in Bobby the Iceman and Jubilee from yet another pointless argument. Those two would fight over the color of the sky if they could. Both of them were enrolled in law school and are destined it seemed to find points of contention to practice for the court room. Plus Bobby still hasn't gotten over not just being passed over for the main team and being trained by his ex, but also having Pete being chosen as team lead.

His constant arguing with Jubes being a class-A example for why level-headed Pete was a much better choice. Kitty and Psylocke were just leaning against the wall watching the argument, their boredom nearly palpable. Although Rogue would've put it above Betsy to throw out inflammatory mental suggestions to keep the fight going longer.

_Oops. _Rogue picked up Betsy's mental whisper with Jean's borrowed talents. _Busted. _Rogue must've been projecting that pretty loudly for her to pick it up. Normally telepaths have a damned hard time reading her unless she specifically projects thoughts for them to catch. Her mind is simply too crowded and chaotic for them to read her otherwise.

"Enough." Her Southern drawl is light but still vibrant in her voice. "Inta the Danger Room with y'all. Try and use tha fire against the enemy."

With a short nod and a grimace the junior team made it's inside, ready for whatever their mentor wanted to throw at them today.

She came to a stop next to her co-Leader, Scott. Between the two of them they manage all the training and missions for the X-Men. Not a responsibility she ever wanted, all Rogue ever wanted for herself was just to be a regular girl in love with a regular guy, but necessity and circumstances has a habit of forcing her hand.

She gives an absent stroke to the white streak in her hair.

"How are they coming along?" Scott's voice and manner have finally regained their old strength and force that he lost after Jean's death. The always hangs there between them though, keeping them from ever regaining their former brother-sister type relationship. Just another thing fate took from her.

Rogue shrugs as she watches the junior team work through the obstacle course only to come to a frozen stop at the force they met on the other side. The holographic copies are just as menacing and nerve wracking as the real things and in some cases could be just as deadly.

A pair of Omega class mutant Ferals blocked the team's ultimate goal – rescuing Storm from a metal cage hanging from the ceiling.

"Ah…Rogue?" Iceman's voice sounded nervously through the comms. "Any particular reason we're fighting Wolverine?"

Scott chuckled at the scene before them. "Way to make them wet themselves, Rogue."

"Hey, we've both had run-ins with Victor and sparred with Wolverine and lived to tell the tale. They'll be fine."

Grinning, she blocked the humor from her voice as she presses the button to speak.

"Sabertooth and Wolverine are two of the most formidable opponents you could ever face. Some of the best fighters in the world with unmatched instincts. If you can beat them, you can beat _anybody_ in close quarter combat. Don't worry," now her voice is teasing, causing a blush to rise on Pete and Bobby's cheeks. "They're not programmed to kill and are on an appropriate level for you guys. Better get to it, Storm's lookin' a lil bit impatient."

_You just wanna watch me kick IcePrick's frozen ass. _Inner-Logan teased her.

_Maybe…just a little. Ok, a lot. _She laughed with him, ignoring the Hey! from Psyke Bobby.

After sparring practice with the teens who haven't graduated to the Danger Room yet and her own team's run through her little obstacle course – stupid Cyclopes making them take on the two Ferals as well as Mystique, she would have bruises and aches for days if it wasn't for her healing factor courtesy of Logan, Rogue made her way back to her room for a change into a regular long-sleeved T-shirt and jeans, grabbing cotton gloves on the way out the door.

Extra healing means extra fuel = one hungry Rogue.

Lightly jogging, Rogue made her way to the staff kitchen, separate from the large dining hall the students all use. Thankfully as a full-fledged X-Man and combat instructor Rogue got to live in the private team lodgings away from the students (and with a private bathroom) and use the rest of the amenities reserved for the adult staff. She shudders a little at the thought of having to share a room again with Kitty and Jubes. Between Kitty randomly popping through walls and Jubes' constant mess it's a wonder she survived high school with her sanity intact.

Well…mostly intact.

_You're not crazy, my child. _Eric whispers. _You're special, superior._

_Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I talk to the voices in mah head and they talk back. If that ain't a lil cray-cray I don' know what is._

With a little wave of thanks to Ro, she started fixing herself a plate before joining the rest of her team around the kitchen table. She smiles a little at her friends as they all carry on with whatever conversations they'd had going prior to her arrival.

Things are different now than the turmoil following Jean's death and Scott and Professor X's subsequent recovery, but they're a good different.

Storm has mostly retired from the team, preferring to focus on teaching, manning the defenses while the team is out, and raising her children with her husband Hank, their furry blue doctor who took up permanent residence after Jean's demise.

Emma showed up at the request of Professor X, following a promise she made him to take up the roll as resident "head case" as she calls it if anything were to happen to him. No one was happier than Emma when Scott came back, nursing him through his wounds and his grief over the loss of his wife. Now if only Scott could talk her into taking a break from field work to start a family he'd be ecstatic.

And Kurt, Rogue smiles at one of her favorite people in the world. He's just a gentle soul.

Together with Angel, Kurt, and Emma make up the main X-Men team with Rogue and Scott. Storm and Hank come along on missions that require their particular talents with the junior X-Men joining as well.

All in all, things are looking rather bright at the Manor.

Too bad they never stay that way for long.

_A/N: Don't kill me, Logan will be coming back in the next chapter._ _However, it's not going to be a quick trip back into Rogue's good graces or into her heart._


	3. Chapter 3

**Skydancer**

**_Disclaimer:_**** Obviously any recognizable characters belong to someone with a lot more money than me.**

**Three**

The ringing phone woke me out of a sound sleep. It's been years since I used my exit strategy and bailed out of public life. As far as anyone knows, Dara Kilkenny just up and retired one day while at the pinnacle of her ballet career. It's safer that way.

I've been called many things over the years: bitch, princess, thief, vicious, charming, responsible, talented… The list goes on. But mutant…now that has never crossed anyone's mind.

Something that comes in handy every once and a while. Like now.

"Hello." My voice is raspy with sleep and disuse.

"Dara. It's Warren." Or Angel, one of the only people mutant or otherwise aware of my unique circumstances and dual identities. His anxiety carried loud and clear over the phone line.

"What's wrong?" Sitting up I run a hand through my wild array of curls.

"The Brotherhood found out about Darci and Damian. They've been taken, Dara."

_Fuck!_ I felt the rage beginning to course through me at the news. My birth parents weren't the only things I found went I started digging.

"Are your people going after them?" I thought furiously. I want to save them from being brainwashed or tortured my Magneto but I've kept myself under the radar of both the Brotherhood and the X-Men for years. The kind of work I do is best kept to the shadows. If I come out… My life will be over more completely than when I had to leave ballet.

"Xavier is getting ready to brief the team as we speak. They don't have a solid lead on location yet but that's only a matter of time. The Professor isn't about to let Mags kidnap a couple of teenagers."

"Stall them. I don't care what you have to do, but stall them. I want to see if I can pull them out on my own first." Plans rush through my head as I start dressing for the coming conflict.

"This might be too much even for you, gorgeous." Angel warned her. Dancer is beyond dangerous but this…she's an assassin and mercenary not a miracle worker.

"If I can't get them out on my own at least I'll have softened them up for you." She jokes before hanging up.

"Dammit." She breathes as she drops the phone onto the bed before grabbing her go-bag and striding from her home hidden in the Cascade Mountains.

_Teenagers._

**Everyone to the War Room, please. **The message echoes in Angel's mind as he puts the burner cell back into its hiding place under a loose floorboard in his room. That was quicker than he thought. When he got the S.O.S. message from the twins he called Dancer immediately. The Professor must be really on his game today. He studiously conceals all thoughts of the luscious killer-for-hire and focused instead on his lesson plans for the next week. The last thing Dancer needs right now is the X-Men looking into her family.

Rogue dismissed her class at the Professor's summons. Quickly she joined Scott and they made their way to the large conference room. Hank and Storm were already present with the others filing in behind Rogue.

One look at the Professor's face and she knew whatever caused this middle of the day council it's bad. Really, really bad.

_Any idea what your counterpart has been up to Eric? _She asks humorously. If only getting the drop on the Brotherhood was as easy as asking the voices in her head.

_Not a clue, my dear. However given the gravity of the look on Charles's face…I would say whoever and whatever the cause it must be of the utmost danger._

Her worry only increased when the Professor upon seeing Rogue enter the room, managed to look increasingly more worried.

_Shit. I hope nobody's tryin' to kidnap me again._

"Good afternoon, everyone." Charles began once both X-teams were assembled. "I am sorry for pulling you all away from your students and other duties but I'm afraid this cannot wait. Magneto has kidnapped a pair of teen mutants, brother and sister twins, from their home in Northern California. We need to rescue them from the Brotherhood before any damage has occurred."

As he spoke he sent mental pictures of the twins in question to the main team of X-Men.

"The main team will be leaving in the morning to the location at which the teens are being held."

"Excuse me, Charles." Emma speaks up. "Wouldn't it be more prudent for both teams to work on this? We don't even know how many of the Brotherhood we'll have to fight, after all."

Most of the X-Men nod in agreement, meanwhile Rogue is thinking about the pictures of the two mutants in need of rescuing. There is something eerily familiar about those two kids…now if only she could figure out what it is…

Before the Professor could answer Emma, the sound of several motorcycles roaring up the drive silenced the teams as smiles broke out across several people's faces.

"Logan is not alone." The Professor's words stopped the teams before they could get beyond the doors. "No matter your personal feelings surrounding his companions, you will all be civil." His gaze drilled into Scott and Storm especially. "Is that clear?"

After a round of "Yes, Professor/Charles/Sir" he released them to greet the wayward X-Man and company.

Rogue remained seated for a moment. Frozen and unable to move. _I have no idea what to do._ She whispered to the Professor.

"What do your instincts say, dear?" Charles is worried, not just for the family he's built here but for this child of his in particular. Most were going to be upset in the changes to their life that Logan's return with some old friends is going to cause but none so much as Rogue.

She laughs harshly.

"Mah instincts or the voices in mah head?"

"Either, both."

"Mah instincts say run." She meets his gaze head on. "I'm just starting to put myself back together. I don't know if I can see him every day and night and go on missions and pretend all along that it's not killin' me to be around him and not be with him."

"And the voices?"

She chuckles. "Split down the middle. Eric wants to punish 'im. Wolvie wants me to…never mind. Bobby and John don' have much to say either way. David's quiet as usual."

"And Logan?"

"He wants to know what I'm doin' still sittin' here."

Charles ponders this for a moment before deciding upon a tacit of pure candor.

"Wolverine and the three others with him will have to be integrated into the X-Men. It's not ideal timing with the mission tomorrow so you'll need to run them through the Danger Room with the others tonight. I know this is hard for you, child." His gaze is kind but firm. "But no one can act as an intermediary between these men and our people already here but you. We may need to form two main teams with our new numbers if Wolverine and the others stay. And if that's the case…you'll be the one leading the second team."

_Leading the Wolverine._

Sighing she nods wearily and climbs to her feet. Time to start practicin' not being a lovesick idiot.

Her timing couldn't have been better, rounding the Manor from the outside instead of moving through the halls.

Unable to help herself she started laughing, causing all eyes to swing her way.

It's like the opening scene of the gunfight at the O-K corral or some such nonsense. The X-Men all crowded around the top of the steps with Cyclopes dead in the middle and ready to start shooting. Most of the X-Men seemed caught between fear, confusion, and indifference. Then there's the new arrivals, Logan in the lead with his claws out and ready.

Studying his friends she couldn't really blame Scott for his reaction. Shoulder-to-shoulder with the Wolverine stood Sabertooth, his own claws at the ready with the other two men holding weapons of their own.

Still chucking she positioned herself on the steps between the two groups, facing Scott first.

"Enough, Scott." She waved at the others in command. "Stand down, that's an order."

Rogue could feel and smell the surprise coming off the men at her back. Guess the Professor hadn't told Logan about her promotion.

"But…" Scott started only to get cut off.

"Y'all heard the Professor." She reminded him. "Wolverine and his playmates are welcome here. Now git until y'all can be civil."

Flushing at her reminder and her tone, the X-Men all went back inside with only Cyclopes lingering. A glare from the fiery southern belle soon sent him packing.

Once everyone else was inside she turned and met the smirking gazes behind her.

"What kinda name is Wolverine?"

An answering grin shot across Logan's face at the joke.

"What kinda name is Rogue?"

With a laugh he retracted his claws and picked her up in a hug. "Good to see ya, kid."

She rolls her eyes at the name and slaps him on the shoulder.

"You gonna introduce me to your friends, sugar? Although…" she trailed off with a teasing look at Sabertooth. "I do believe I've met one of 'em before."

_Sugar?_ Logan thought to himself. That's new. Laughing he set her down and motioned for his team to relax.

"That she does." Victor said smoothly with a laugh. "How ya been, Stripes?"

"Hey, Victor." She rolls her eyes at the nickname. "Kidnapped any teenagers lately?"

"Shut it." Logan told them. "Rogue, you know my brother Victor." He continued, ignoring the raised brow she shot him. "The other two are Deadpool and Gambit."

"Wade," said the blonde on Victor's right. "Nice to meetcha. You got some balls getting between us all like that girly."

"Non, mon amie." Gambit tsked, taking the beauty's offered hand and giving it a smooth kiss. "You don' tell a belle fille like tis that she has balls. Remy LeBeau, at the chere's service."

"And that of every other female he meets." Logan smacks him on the back of his head with a claw.

Chuckling Rogue motioned for them to follow her as she lead them into the mansion.

"Wade's right though, kid." Logan said as they follow her, trying hard not to look at her ass in that bodysuit. What was she doing wearing something like that around teenage boys? "When did Scooter and gang start takin' orders from you?"

"Bout the time I got made Co-Leader of the X-Men. We've got too many pots on the fire for one person to handle everything anymore."

Logan let out a whistle. That's a pretty big deal around here.

"Lucky for y'all since you won't have to deal with Scott as much." The four friend smile at that. "Speaking of things that've changed…" She gave him a significant look.

"After we've got our stuff squared away, kid." Logan promised her. "I'll tell you all about what I found inside this head of mine."

She shrugs, motioning them all to their different rooms. When Logan started to go into his old room he was stopped by her voice.

"That room's taken now, Wolverine." There was a note of steel running through the words. "You're across the hall now, between Victor and Wade."

Startled he shot her a look before going into his room and shutting the door. Victor just watched the byplay like a man at a show, leaning against his room's doorjamb.

"Who would take the Wolverine's room, frail?" He asked, highly entertained.

She just shot him a smirk identical to Jimmy's before telling him.

"Me."


	4. Chapter 4

**Skydancer**

_A/N: Sorry for the time between updates, I've been lost in Beauty and the Beast land with yummy Vincent. L So sorry. Here's an extra long chapter to repay your patience with me. Also, is everyone finding the point-of-view transitions ok to follow or would y'all like me to label when I'm switching?_

Disclaimer: I only wish I owned the X-Men…

**Chapter Four**

Dancer glares at the "hidden" Brotherhood headquarters sprawled out before her. No matter how many years she's been working as a merc and death-for-hire she'll never understand why the supposed villains of the world like freaking warehouses. Do they have some kinda warehouse discount in the underworld or something?

She shakes her head.

_Villains._

Not that she's a white hat herself…but still…she's never hidden in a decrepit warehouse like some kind of bottom-dweller either.

Sighing wearily she pushes up her infrared goggles with one hand. There's just too goddamned many bodies between her and the upper floor where she senses her younger siblings. If their parents were here…maybe. Lord knows Dad and his wife Mickey can deal some damage as Feral mutants but even so…they're only Class 3's not Omega like herself or the Creed/Howlett brothers she's heard of.

Thank god Sabertooth seems to have defected from the Brotherhood. Magneto must've run out of ready cash to pay the mammoth mercenary.

She shudders. Even for her…taking on Sabertooth is something she'd think twice about doing solo. The man is the living embodiment of the word dangerous without the iron-clad control of his younger brother. The animal inside Victor Creed is reputed to be much wilder and unrestrained. Like the difference between a wild wolf and one kept in captivity it's entire life.

Fuck it. Angel was right, going in there alone is asking to get either outed or captured or both. And while she could deal with the first, there's no way she would submit to the second.

She'll die before letting someone lock her in a cage again, figuratively or literally.

The silken cage she grew up in and lived within before she got her wings made her selfish for her freedom. She'll be damned before she goes back to pretending full-time.

Her birth parents gave her an untamable nature and her father made her an unequaled killer, but that bitch she used to call mother with her silk suits and her perfect pearls nearly snuffed out her wildness and tried to control her for her own ends.

No, she'll never go back.

Moving away from the complex she gets out her phone. Time to call in an old debt.

xXxXxXx

Closing the door behind her, Rogue let the relieved breath burst from her lips. Playing calm and cool with Logan took a helluva lot of effort without factoring in his newfound "brother" and company. She let a smile play about her lips for a moment. The look on his face when she told him that she took his room though…priceless.

Shoving away from the door she moves quickly, changing from the light spandex bodysuit into the tougher and slightly-less-revealing leather X-Men uniform. With Logan around she's going to need the extra layers to keep her body under control. She shivers thinking about sparring with Wolverine in the spandex. Nope. There's no way she'd be able to tame her body's response to him with only one little layer of fabric between them.

Walking out into the hall she knocks softly on each of the new members' doors, rounding them up with only a little bit of grumbling. Thankfully all had shed their riding gear and gotten into sweats and T-shirts for a workout.

Once they were all present she began herding them to the elevator to take them down to the Danger Room, ignoring all the students who watched the legendary Ferals with fascination and fear.

"The Professor wants y'all to work with the main team later." She says briskly as they enter the elevator and she rests against the back wall. "But first I need to see what all y'all can do both as a team and separately so we can integrate ya best as we can."

After trading glances Logan speaks as their spokesman/leader. "Makes sense, kiddo. But," he ignores the look he got from Rogue. "You already know what I can do."

She laughs. "I know what you three years ago could do." She says as they left the confining metal box and move towards the Danger Room. "I don't have the slightest idea what you can do now. For all I know you've gotten rusty." She teases with a flirtatious look.

Victor snorts a laugh. He's always liked this frail. She's got sass and guts. Too bad she's not his.

"Rusty my ass, kid." Logan grunts. "Hell, I taught you mosta what you know."

"Knew, Logan." She corrects with gentle sadness. "You've been gone a long time. I'm not the girl you used to know. Not anymore."

With that she waves them into the Danger Room ahead of her. Ignoring the fascinated looks from Remy and Wade she moves over to an observation area behind a glass wall and takes a seat.

"We'll start with the one-on-one stuff first, then move into a team scenario. Don't hold back." She says briskly. "I need to know what you can do. Gambit's up first."

Giving the beautiful chere a charming grin Remy moves up into the center of the room as the others fall back to join Rogue.

Thinking quickly, she queues up a program for him and then watches carefully as Gambit blasts and fights his way easily through the scenario. Speaking softly she asks Logan:

"What class is he?"

"Omega class biokenetic energy mutation and a down and dirty fighter." He says. "We're all Omega's kid."

Nodding thoughtfully she calls Gambit back and sends out Deadpool, using a more difficult program this time before moving on to Victor and then Logan.

Leaning back against the wall she studies all four of them carefully. Omegas. Other than herself the only Omega class mutant at the manor was Jean Grey. Not even the Professor is an Omega class and here Logan comes strolling back into the X-Men with three others in tow. She shakes her head. Omega class mutants are extremely powerful, with off-the-charts abilities. Professor X told her once that besides herself there's only a dozen or so Omega class mutants in the world. Now five of them are X-Men.

Logan never did do anything by half-measures and that includes surprises.

"Alright boys," she grins at them. "Let's see if y'all know how to play together."

In a mischievous mood she brings up the same obstacle course from earlier watching Logan groan as he sees his holo-self along with holo-Victor and Mystique.

"Non, cherie." Remy groans along with his friend. "Tha's just no' right."

Laughing she add another twist – a holo version of herself…only one wearing a lot less clothes. Remy's groan this time is one of appreciation as he sees the beauty clad in a glorified leather bikini and short-shorts with boots. Logan curses under his breath at the sight. He doesn't need any extra fantasies of Marie running around in his head, he has plenty of his own.

"Don't worry it won't drain you like I would. But it will shock you hard enough to put you down." Rogue laughs at the looks on the men's faces. Except for a blank-faced Victor they're all in various stages of shock and arousal. Knowing someone's weaknesses can really bite them in the ass.

"Wade take on Mystique, Victor and I will deal with our counterparts, and Remy you've got Rogue. You're the only one with a power that than keep her off-a-ya."

Nodding they all take up their battle stances, Wade gripping his katanas and Remy twirling his bo staff. Unbeknownst to the team as they started fighting, Cyclopes moved into the observation area to join his co-Captain.

"I can see why the Professor let Logan bring them in." He said quietly to a stony-faced Rogue. Watching the team, she gave a short nod.

"They're excellent. Better than anyone we've got. But…" she trails off as she watches them.

"…Their teamwork needs a lot of work." He finished for her. "They're all lone wolves Rogue." He reminds her needlessly. "Not one of those men is known to play well with others."

She snorts. Like she needs reminding of that with Psyke Logan running around in her head. She gave a wince as Remy is put down hard by the holo-her. Logan and Victor were working great as a pair but completely ignoring the others while Wade is just toying with Mystique, more interested in having fun than in completing the mission or helping Remy. A mistake when holo-Rogue comes up behind him and lays him out.

In the meantime Logan and Victor put down their holo-selves, leaving them facing off against the remaining two holos when Rogue cancels the program.

Weary already she shakes her head at Cyclopes.

"Sure you don't want to trade me jobs?" She jokes before moving out into the Danger Room where Logan and Victor are busy waking up their friends.

"Not a chance." Scott shoots at her back.

_Figures._ She thinks ruefully. Right about now she really regrets taking on being a Captain.

Once the four men were all awake…although Remy's a little unsteady on his feet leaning against his staff for support, she addresses the men, arms folded across her chest and feet squarely planted.

"Your teamwork sucks ass." She says baldly, channeling her inner-Logan. "One-on-one y'all did great, excellent even. But the moment y'all have to work together it all falls apart."

"Look, doll…" Wade starts only to get cut off when she lifts a hand.

"Don't even." She says coolly. "Logan and Victor are a great pair, but I expect that after being told of their…connection. But you two," she points to Remy and Wade. "Suck ass at the teams thing. Remy,"

His head snaps up as he fixes his shades.

"You're too damn cocky. I know you've never seen me fight but Logan's instructions should've been a warning. Wade, you were too busy playing with your opponent to realize Remy was in trouble. That could be deadly in a real life situation."

Wade could only nod. It was true enough.

"And you two," she scowls at the Ferals. "You were just as bad about ignoring what was going on around you. You're too quick to fall back on your Feral natures and you forget about tactics."

Victor just growls at her.

Sighing she waves them all off.

"Dinner's in ten, afterwards you'll go again with me leading this time before working with the main team later."

"With you?" Logan cocks his head to one side and raising a brow.

Rubbing her temples she nods.

"I must've done somethin' horrible in a past life 'cause the Professa decided that y'all are my new team. Apparently I'm the only one he thinks could actually get y'all to work together."

"Come on, chere," Remy grins. "We're no' tha' bad."

She just shoots him a withering glare before leaving for the dining room.

"Figure out what you did to piss Stripes off yet, Jimmy?" Victor asks as they move towards the locker room to clean up.

Logan grimaces. "Not for sure, but probably because I left for so long. I'm not exactly the best at keepin in touch."

The other three just laugh. They all know that better than anyone.

"Better fix it quick." Wade advises. "I wouldn't want to stay on that one's bad side. She seems like the type a woman to take it out of your hide."

xXxXxXx

With a groan Rogue pulled up her favorite stool at the island in the staff kitchen. God forbid she have to deal with the multitudes of teens and children in the cafeteria right now.

Concerned Ororo looked up from the salad she was throwing together to study her friend. Over the years they've drawn much closer together and the Rogue was her maid of honor at her wedding to Hank. It's taken years but her friend has finally put herself back together after the abandonment of her best friend, Logan. Now he's back and Ro is afraid for Rogue.

"How did it go?" She asks carefully, only to be answered by having a striped head bang into the marble countertop. "That well, huh?"

Rocking her head back and forth on the cool stone Rogue grumbled to herself.

_How the hell am I supposed to turn that motley crew into a cohesive team by tomorrow?_

_Let them see what you can do, my dear. _Eric suggested. _They'll be more likely to listen to you if they respect what a powerful creature you are._

Wolvie growled in agreement.

_The other me will have a lot easier time fightin' with ya and not focusin' on protectin' ya if he knows you can kick ass. _Her Logan pointed out.

"I think I'm going to have to kick all of their asses before I can even attempt to lead that 'team'." She groaned. "Alpha males, the lot of 'em."

Ro made a clucking noise. She remembers what it was like trying to lead the Wolverine the first time he joined the X-Men. Multiply that by four and suddenly she's very happy that she's semi-retired from hero work.

"Who's ass are we kicking?" Scott asked as he along with his wife entered the kitchen. Hank and Kurt are on cafeteria duty that night.

Giving him a fulminating stare out of one eye Rogue replied. "Who do ya think?"

Scott just chuckled as Emma started making their plates and brought them over to the table. He ruffled Rogue's hair in a rare show of affection as he passed her slumped-over form.

"It's probably the only way they'll listen to you." Emma commiserated with the young woman.

"That's kina mah thought." Sighing Rogue sits up and fixes her hair before grabbing a plate of salad and lasagna for herself. Once the four burdensome men make their way up to the kitchen there likely wouldn't be any food left over for dawdlers.

"You've partnered with Logan before, it shouldn't be too bad." Scott pointed out. "Although, making a point to show them what you could do certainly wouldn't hurt any."

"What would you suggest?" Rogue asks politely.

Scott gave an evil grin as his telepath wife looked at him in shock over what's in his mind.

"It's been awhile since you've taken on the team…"

xXxXxXx

Following their dinner the X-Men assembled in the control center for the Danger Room. While Victor, Remy, and Wade looked around in curiosity, the rest simply wait patiently for their instructions while Angel fidgeted in anticipation. He needs to relay Dancer's information to Rogue but hasn't had a single moment alone with her all day.

Heads bent close together Scott, Rogue, and the Professor walk into the Danger Room.

Picking up on Angel's thoughts Charles sent him a quick message: _Later._

Nodding he looked up, alert and ready for orders.

"With our new additions," Charles nods towards Logan's team. "It seems appropriate to…remind everyone of why your Captains are your Captains. The first scenario is simple: Scott and Rogue vs. everyone else."

Logan and his team watch in fascination as the main team including Storm and Beast groan in unison and One-Eye and Marie smirk. What the fuck are they missing?

The junior team just smiles in relief. At least none of them are going to wind up in the med bay tonight.

Her smirk edging into evil territory, Rogue saunters wickedly over to her mentees as the others watch. With a smooth movement she takes off her gloves and winks at Cyke.

"Y'all don't mind, now…do ya?" Laughing she brushes her hand swiftly over Bobby's and Pete's faces as the rest watch in shock. They've never known Rogue to intentionally borrow powers outside of actual combat.

"Not at all." Colossus grins at her. "Always a pleasure."

Bobby just grimaces. The sensation has never bothered Pietr the way it does him. Thankfully he doesn't pass out anymore when she does that.

_Holy fuck…_ Logan thinks to himself. _She really has changed. I barely recognize her anymore._

_And whose fault is that, dumbass? _Wolverine snarls at him. _If it was up to me we would've marked and mated our little Marie-mate years ago._

_Shut. Up._

Moving into the center of the Danger Room which has morphed itself into what looks like a giant padded room, Cyke and Rogue move to standing back-to-back as the others surround them in a bull-pen formation. Feeling almost normal with each other again they grin before focusing on their opponents.

Angel, Nightcrawler, Emma, Storm, Beast, Gambit, Sabertooth, Deadpool, and Wolverine circle them, trying to decide a course of action.

_Separating them is the only way to go. _Emma told them as she braced herself. _Otherwise they'll just pick us off one by one. Nightcrawler?_

Kurt nods before bamfing up to Rogue and then teleporting them both to one corner of the room. Grinning happily Victor, Wade, Remy, and Warren move to take her on while the others engage Cyclopes.

The Danger Room filled with movement and the sounds of explosions both major and minor as the Captains got to work reminding everyone just who the top dogs are.

Furiously throwing punches and kicks, Rogue knocked out Kurt before the others could reach them in the corner. Swooping down, Angel attempted to catch her off guard only to get blindsided by a rain of icicles from Bobby's copied power.

Two down.

Grinning, Rogue crouches low preparing to take on three much more difficult opponents. She's not really surprised Wolvie stayed to take on Cyclopes. Those two will never get along and will never sidestep a chance to take each other on.

Remy charges up a pair of playing cards before flinging them at her chest. With a thought she redirects them at Wade, grinning gleefully at their shock when he gets hit head on and knocked temporarily out of the fight.

Suddenly wary of the petite woman, Victor hung back a moment to watch as she engaged Gambit, spinning easily out of the way of his staff and blocking or outright redirecting the blasts from his charged cards. He recognized a lot of Jimmy in her fighting style with some Eric and what must be her own style thrown in. Some One-Eye too. _Well, well. Jimmy's little kitten has some bite to her._

Shaking off the hit from Gambit's cards Deadpool scrambles to his feet and crouches next to Sabertooth.

"What's the plan?"

Victor cocks his head. Somebody must've been paying attention during Stripe's lecture earlier.

"Wait for Gambit to get knocked out then come at her at the same time. He's too much a ranged fighter to work well with us. I don't wanna hafta dodge that fucking staff."

No sooner had Sabertooth spoke than Rogue whirled in close to Gambit and reaching out grabbed him with one small fist in his trench. Smiling with wicked intent she leans in close and places her mouth against his throat in a mock-kiss. Angry from their earlier dismissal of her as their leader, she pulls him into her, forcing his Psyke copy to behave himself as the man collapses at her feet.

Smirking at her two remaining opponents she lifts a deck of cards from the now-unconscious Gambit.

"Wanna play?"

xXxXxXx

When the dust settled in the Danger Room only three people remained standing. The Rogue is being circled warily by the Wolverine and the Sabertooth, none willing to back down from the challenge. Charging one of the few remaining playing cards from the pack she lifted off of Gambit, she throws it in Sabertooth's face, temporarily blinding him as he dodged out of the way. Taking advantage of the distraction, Rogue flips over top of him to Logan waiting for the right moment.

"Looks like we really need to have that talk, kid." He says with a grunt as she darts behind him and climbs onto his back like a monkey as Sabertooth shakes off his muddled senses.

"Looks tha' way." She whispers in his ear before pressing a kiss to his grizzled cheek, then his neck. Hitting skin with the second kiss she holds on just long enough to drop him before flipping away from his body and faced his brother.

"I wouldn't try that with me, Stripes." Victor says with a raised brow, mirroring his brother's favorite expression.

"Believe me, the last thin' I want is one o' you floatin' around in mah head." She laughs as she circles the mammoth mutant.

Victor just grunts before charging her head on. Every muscle in his body screams from the constant battle he's fought with this one little woman. She tough all right, a worthy match to his little brother. If the two of them ever get their fucking heads on straight anyway.

Crouching she calls up the power she borrowed from Pete for just this thing, plating herself in metal that will deflect those vicious claws of his. Smarter than most people give him credit for, Sabertooth had watched her take on opponent after opponent, learning how she fought and engaging her every now and then to see how she reacts. Knowing that neither of them want her to use her active mutation on him does give him one hell of an advantage that the others simply don't have.

The two collide with a crash as Rogue grabs his shoulders and planting one foot in his stomach uses his own momentum to flip him over her head and against the wall. He can't even lie, that one rang his bell.

"Enough!"

The Professor's voice rang through the Danger Room's speakers as Victor climbed to his feet and Rogue instantly turned off her borrowed power. Waking up Logan sits up as the others all file back into the Danger Room, everyone else having left as they were knocked out of the challenge.

Scott in particular had a nasty scratch running down the front of his uniform that needed Hank's doctoring skills. Thankfully no one was too injured from the melee as they still had a mission in the morning.

The junior team followed the older X-Men in, Jubilee sauntering over to Gambit palm extended.

"You owe me twenty bucks. I told you Roguey would be the last one standing." Grumbling sounded around the group as different bets were paid off all around. One in particular surprised Logan and Rogue. Scott bet Wade one hundred dollars that Rogue would kiss Logan before the end of the battle. Snickers sounded all around as Logan felt a blush head his cheeks under his beard.

"Wasn't 'xactly a kiss…" Wade grumbled.

"Lips on skin in two areas…it counts." Cyclopes argued, accepting his payout with glee.

Rolling her eyes she motions for Scott to start the debrief after collecting his winnings.

"We have new information regarding the rescue op tomorrow." Wincing over the wound running down his chest Cyclopes gestured for Angel to fill in the team.

"The teens Buckethead and crew snatched aren't just any mutants." Angel began carefully updating the team without revealing any information that would have Dancer taking off his head. "They're Class 5 and Ferals but they have mutated powers beyond the normal speed, senses, etc. Highly sought after both by us and Magneto. The Professor has spoken with their parents several times but they've never shown any interest in getting involved with other mutants outside their family."

"Why not?" Rogue asked thinking quickly.

"Their parents are mutants as is their older sister…which is the reason why this is above and beyond our normal priority. We _have_ to get these kids out before their family gets involved."

"Who're the family?" Victor asked.

"Nightwolf and Luna are the parents…" Angel trailed off. He really didn't want to talk about Dancer if he could avoid it.

"The mercs?" Wade asked surprised. He's known them for years and they never mentioned any kids. Not that people in their kinda work tended to talk about family. That kinda thing can lead to all kind of troubles.

Angel gives a short nod.

"I can see why we need to grab the kids." Victor says with a laugh. "Those two crazy asses will tear the Brotherhood a new one and not care about how many bodies they leave behind."

"Pot…kettle…" Scott whispered under his breath only to grunt as Emma elbowed him in the side.

Then Rogue asked the question Angel really, really didn't want to answer.

"Where'd you get your information, Angel?"

Wincing he looked away.

"Angel…" Logan growled. Something about this mess stank to high heaven.

"Nightwolf has another daughter from a different relationship. When I found out about the teens getting snatched I gave her a call to see how she wanted to handle it. A couple hours ago she gave me the go ahead to talk to you guys about pulling them out. Guess there's too many bodies between her and the kids for her to do it solo."

"Who is she?" Logan's so-shit senses were really going nuts now.

Sighing, Angel ran one hand through his hair.

"She's a merc…and a killer. Some of you might've heard of her. Goes by the name Skydancer."


	5. Chapter 5

**Skydancer**

_A/N: I know it seems like Dancer went from average girl to super-powerful in one day but in reality it was a process that started at birth and then accelerated in bursts at key developmental stages. She was born a Feral with heightened senses and physical abilities including her healing factor. At human puberty her skin started to glow and she got her absorption powers. Then when she was at her physical peak of fitness her wings erupted. So while the description in the story was quick, the actual events were spread out across her life allowing for her to develop control over her mutations._

_More about the killer-ballerina thing once she makes contact with the X-Men I promise._

_Disclaimer: All I own are my OC's, as I am poor, and Marvel/Fox are not._

**Five**

_Inside the Brotherhood Compound_

"My sister is going to kill you." Damian growls at Toad as the green mutant throws Darci back into the neighboring cell. Magneto made a point of only talking to one twin at a time not wanting to risk them making a break for it.

"This little thing?" Toad scoffs as Darci hisses at his disdain.

"I still kicked _your_ ass when you guys kidnapped us, now didn't I?" She shoots back at him with a toss of her short blond hair. As tiny and delicate looking as her twin brother his hulking and fierce she has all the lean power of a wildcat. One member of the Brotherhood was fascinated by her because of the little "extra" mutants in their family tends to get.

Multiple mutations is rare in the mutant pool at large but does tend to run in families like theirs. Some males just have a little extra oomph in their X-Gene, Darci guesses.

"Now, now _Blaze_." Pyro warned her moving into the light as the air around her began to spark at Toad's sullen laughter. "You know the score. You pull anything and the boss will take it out on your brother, not you."

Sucking in a breath Darci calms herself down, controlling the fire that begged to rage out of control. She's great at starting the flames but once made she still struggles at manipulating and controlling them. But for an eighteen year old who just got a new power for a birthday present a few weeks ago…she thinks she's doing pretty good.

"What makes you think I was talking about her?" Damian asks, nonchalantly leaning against the bars of his cell as he plays with a baseball they gave him to keep him from going into a Feral rage. 6'6" of pissed off Class Five Feral is damned hard to contain once it gets going. Add in his little "extra" and yeah…calm is good.

Toad snorts. "Everyone knows Nightwolf and Luna only have you two, Blade."

Darci laughs.

"Who said we were talking about a full sister?" Damian tosses his russet-red hair out of his eyes. "_Everyone knows _our dad was a manwhore before he met his mate. Our big sis is from one of his bigger mistakes as far as shags go."

"Who is this 'mystery' sister of yours then?" Pyro asks as he continues to stare at the little kitten in her cage.

The kitten in question shoots him an evil grin full of fangs as she answers.

"Skydancer."

xXxXxXxXx

"Aw fuck." Wade cusses up a storm. "Fuckity fuck fuck fuck."

"Deadpool!" Cyclopes reprimands the foul-mouthed mutant. "There's kids still here."

"I'm sure they've heard the word fuck before." Logan observes drily as he watches his friend lose his shit. "And they're not exactly kids if they're training to be vigilantes, now are they?"

Scott sends a withering glance at Logan as Wade sucks it in.

"Angel is right," Wade says at last regaining his composure. "The last merc you want on your ass is the Dancer. She was a merc and assassin before her mutation even manifested and back then all but the best gave her a wide ass berth. Rumor has it that she was trained to kill from the cradle."

"Then I guess we better get those kids away from the Brotherhood before she decides to come after us, now shouldn't we?" Rogue says with false sweetness as she dismisses the teams to rest up before the mission in the morning.

Catching Logan's eye she motions towards the showers then points to where the gardens lay above their heads.

Nodding he moves to take his own shower, followed by his friends and brother…his "new" team. Now there's a joke. The four of them were a team long before he got his memories erased by Stryker.

"You an' Stripes gonna to have that heart-to-heart now?" Victor asked absently as he stripped off for his own shower.

Logan just grunts. It's not like he's even sure what to say. Sorry I was an ass, but you were making me think of doing dirty things to you when you were too damn young for them? Yeah…that'll go over well. And the not writing or calling thing…that's probably the big one.

Fuck.

He's screwed six-ways-to-Sunday.

"Ya know, _mon amie_." Remy says making sure he's well away from the Wolverine's claws. "You screw t'is up…Gambit be more than happy to comfort the _cher_. And he's not the only one _hein_?"

Wade just laughs. Trust Remy to make everything just that much worse.

xXxXxXxXx

Walking on silent feet out into Ro's garden, Logan caught sight of his Marie sitting on "their" bench. A lot has happened over the years since they came to this school together and no one is happier than him to see Marie all grown up and badass.

But at the same it made him ache inside that she turned into this beautiful, strong woman…and his missed it.

He missed a lot, from her high school graduation to her college years to her joining the main X-Men team and becoming a real leader.

He wasn't there when her and IcePrick hit the skids.

He wasn't there when the Phoenix inside her head tried to drive her insane.

He just…wasn't there.

It's selfish of him…he knows that. Selfish of him to run and selfish of him to come back and try and carve a place for him in her life again. Selfish of him to want to be her hero again when she so clearly doesn't need one anymore.

She's the only good thing he's never fucked up in his entire, unending, miserable life.

At least…he hopes he hasn't fucked this up.

"Marie?"

At his low pitched voice she turns her head and looks up at him, the full moon's light shining on her striped hair. She'd heard him coming with her stolen hyper-senses but decided to sit quietly in her cotton pajama top and lounge pants, letting him come to her when he was ready.

Slowly she smiled and held out one gloved hand.

"Logan."

Returning her smile he sits down next to her, mere inches separating their bodies, and lights a cigar. Humming under her breath she smiles again, closing her eyes at the achingly familiar scent.

"That's the one vice of yours I neveh could enjoy, no matteh how hard I tried." She wrinkles her nose. "Can't stand the taste no matteh how much I like the smell."

Logan chuckled staring at the Cuban in his hand, then realized the significance of what she said.

"You pick up a lot of my vices in there?" He points to her head.

"A couple." She laughs. "I like fighin' more than I should. And I really like the taste of a nice whisky now and again. As for the other…" _Sex_. The word hung suspended between them. "Well…there's not much I can do 'bout that now is there."

Rubbing his neck he shrugged. Wouldn't matter to the right guy, sure as shit didn't matter to him that he'd need to be a little creative to love her. Not that she'd appreciate hearing that from him right now.

"I didn't know you had that mucha me in ya."

"No one does." She said firmly, pinning him with her stare. "You're the only one I eveh told 'bout those voices a mine and I'd 'preciate it if you kep' it thata way."

Thinking over her words he nodded. There's a lot of things he's kept to himself with the X-Geeks, can't really blame her for wanting to do the same when they're already wary of her.

"What the count up there now?"

Laughing she shrugs. "Well…you. And Wolvie. Magneto, Jean, and Phoenix, David, Bobby, Pete, John…Remy, now."

Logan gave a low whistle. That's one helluva head count for people inside of her.

"How're you holdin' up?"

"I make do. Some of the voices, I call 'em Psykes, they help out like you and Wolvie, Eric surprisingly enough, John, Bobby sometimes."

"Wolverine behavin' himself up there?" He ached for her. He never meant for her to be stuck with the animal inside of him running amok in her head.

"When you two aren't going rounds in a never-ending cage fight…yes."

He let out a sigh. "Good, darlin'. That's good."

Marie leaned her head back on her shoulders. She guessed he isn't going to talk about it on his own so she'll ask him.

"What happened to you, Logan? You take off one day right after Jean… And then no word, _nothing_. For years. Then you show up with a rag-tag group of mercs and say that Victor Creed is your brother. I mean…What the hell, Logan?"

Rolling his shoulders he gave a sigh. Shoulda known she wouldn't let it go.

"Hell and back is what happened, kiddo. Hell and back." He scowls at the memories. "About six months in this girl tracked me down in Alaska, I was livin' rough and looked worse. Said that some guy I don't remember was dyin' and wanted me to come over to Japan and say goodbye good 'n' proper. And hell…I was so torn up and confused I didn't care, I just went."

"Who was he?" She prompted when he started to lose himself in his memories.

"Yoshida. I'd saved his life back in WWII not that I remembered it. He'd found out from Gambit 'bout my memory problem and decided that to repay his debt of honor he was going to fix it. Had this idea that my Stryker shot me – long story for another day – the bullets got trapped in my skull."

Marie watched the play of emotions running over his face: pain, loss, regret. But also: happiness, relief, _peace._ That's the thing that's been bothering her since he came home. He's never been at peace before.

"He got them out?"

"Yep and a couple days later after I woke up I started rememberin' stuff. Like Victor bein' my brother. Ya know this whole time he thought I hated him for somethin' that happened years ago when I really didn't even know who he was?" He shakes his head. That was one helluva fight until Logan got it through Victor's head what'd happened. "Then I went lookin' for Gambit, ta thank him for talkin' to Yoshida. Found him and Wade who used to be on my team of mercs hidin' out from Stryker in New Orleans. Spent the last coupla years taking care of the last couple cells of Stryker's people."

"Why'd you decide to come home?" Sounded to her like he'd carved out a good life for himself.

"Wanted you to know my real name." He looked up, staring into those gorgeous deep brown eyes. "It's James. James Logan Howlett."

"Jimmy for short?" She asks teasing, remembering what Victor's been calling him.

"Only to Vic since he kept me alive for all those years."

"Well, _James_," she drawls extending one hand. "I'm Marie, nice to meet you."

Laughing he shook her hand before catching her up in a bear hug and twirling her around.

"Is that the only reason you came back?" She asked breathlessly once the world stopped spinning and he set her down, her hands resting on his strong shoulder, his hands spanning her tiny waist.

Slowly he shook his head, watching the light play off her face.

"I know I got no right. None at all with as long as I'm been gone. But…" he tucks one of her white locks of hair back behind her ear. "I came back to take my shot. I know I don't deserve it and you're probably gonna shoot me down. But I want it anyway. I want my shot with you, Marie."

"My skin…" she starts only to get cut off.

"Don't give a damn. Never have. I only cared about your age. Didn't want to get us tangled up in somethin' that coulda caused a worlda hurt for us both. And before you start objectin'" he gives her a knowing look. "I get that with all those memories and people in your head you're a lot older than you look. But _legally_ was a different matter."

"I hate it when ya make sense." She teases him before pulling away and looking over at the Manor. "I'm not gonna say yes. An' I'm not gonna yes no. I'm sayin'… I'm sayin' you can have your shot. But ya hurt me, Logan." She looks at him calmly, steady in her resolve. "You hurt me real bad. You were the one person I could count on, the one person who's never been afraid of me or this skin of mine. And then you left me."

Lifting one hand she stopped him from justifying himself. What happened, happened and no explanation is ever going to make it better.

"You did. At the worst possible time when I was at mah lowest tryin' to control Jean and Phoenix…you packed and left. Didn't even tell me goodbye. Just gone like you never were to begin with. If it wasn't for the you in mah head, and the Wolverine, I wouldn't be here now. I'd be dead, or locked up, or just plain crazy. Because you left me here alone with no one you could understand me or help me. It's gonna take a lot of doing for me to move past that, Logan."

Shamed, he stared at the ground until one gloved hand raised his face to look at her.

"But I'm gonna give you the chance you want. Because no matter what you've done or how you've disappointed me…you're still mah Logan. Even if you're name is James. Just don't blow it. Because there's neveh gonna be another chance for you with me."

Giving him one last look she gently gave him a ghost of a kiss on his lips before returning to the Manor and her bed.

Smiling grimly as he clamped the cigar between his teeth he watched her walk away from him.

"I'm not gonna blow it, darlin'." He vowed into the night. "I promise."

_About fucking time. _Wolverine growled at him before giving a pleased howl into the night.


	6. Chapter 6

**Skydancer**

Disclaimer: My OC's are my own, everything else belongs to rich people.

**Chapter Six**

Daken watched through long range binoculars as the X-Men team including his Uncle and old man approached the Brotherhood compound. He'd like nothing more than to rush down there and rip the Wolverine a new one.

But when a women who's seen you naked and is almost your mate calls you up and calls in a marker…you honor the damn marker. Even if it's contrary to every goddamn instinct you have.

Raking his hand through his Mohawk of riotous black hair, the face that is an Asian version of Logan's set into a scowl.

Time to go babysit a couple of mouthy Ferals.

xXxXxXx

Moving silently through the halls of the Brotherhood's compound, Logan suddenly comes to a halt, stopping those behind him.

Sniffing deeply he frowns sharing a look with Victor.

"What's _he_ doing here?" Victor hisses at his brother. Things between Jimmy and his kid aren't exactly great but he never thought he'd go work for the Brotherhood.

Logan shrugs. "He is a merc. They probably offered him a shit-ton of money to come over to the dark side now that you're back runnin' with me." Which is where Daken should be, goddamn it.

Shaking his head Logan continued through the halls, shadowed by Rogue and his team. The others had split off a while back to distract the Brotherhood forces while they locate and rescue the kids. As far as plans go it didn't suck. Especially since all five of them are unnaturally quiet for different reason.

Theif, assassin, Feral…whatever Marie is.

Coming to a stop outside a smooth metal door Rogue nods her head, sharing a look with Victor.

"This is it." She says, moving forward and placing hands on the smooth metal. "The cells are on the other side."

"And you know this because…?" Wade asks, watching their backs.

Victor laughs. "She was a guest here once. After I left and the Brotherhood switched hq's Mags thought it would be a good idea to try and sway Stripes here over to his side…it didn't end well. For him."

Focusing Rogue pulls up Bobby's power, deep freezing the heavy metal door. Stepping back she nods at Gambit. With the metal frozen over it should shatter with one blow from his power instead of needing multiple blasts.

Pressing one hand to the door Remy charges it and then they all step back and take cover as the explosion rocks the building to its foundations.

"Well if they didn't know we were here before they do now," Logan grunts as he brushes debris out of his hair and moving forward. "Time to haul ass, people."

Striding into the cells they came to a swift halt as they catch sight of the hulking figure leaning against the boy's cell door.

"Daken." The Wolverine growls, stepping forward. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Pops." Daken shoves off from the door, moving to a concealed exit on the opposite wall. "But I'm not here to go a round with you. A…friend called in a marker asking me to make sure the kids made it to you in one piece. My job here is done, I suggest you get on with your own."

xXxXxXx

Stepping into the corridor he blocks it behind him. As he reaches the surface he quickly scans before moving over to Dancer's side.

Seeing her former lover return from the Brotherhood's hideout she gives him a nod followed by a swift, passionate kiss when he reaches her side. They might not be mates but there is still a nuke's worth of fire between them. Nuzzling under his jaw she stiffens before looking up into his face.

"Who came for the kids?" She asked, serious intent replacing desire in an instant.

He frowns at her. Dancer usually isn't one to ask questions. As long as shit happened she never really cared about the why or how. Only the what.

"Wolverine, Rogue, Deadpool, Sabertooth, and Gambit…why?"

"Because you smell like my mate…or…" She trails off confused. It's not possible…is it? Is she a freak among freaks?

"Or?" He arches a dark brow.

"Mates." She whispers staring into his shocked eyes. "I have more than one mate. And whoever they are…you were just near them."

xXxXxXx

"Ok." Wade says as they move to break the cell doors with the same combo of ice and explosion that took out the entryway to the cells. "Even for Daken…that was weird."

"Not really," Damian says as he watches them release his sister and begin working on his own cell. "He used to have a thing with our sister."

"And they're both mercs, one of the only ones she ever works with or does favors for. He probably owes her a ton of markers." Darci says as she tilts her head to one side, studying Rogue's face. When her brother moved to her side she hits him and motions to Rogue.

"Holy…" he whispers.

Darci just nods with a warning look. Now isn't the time, that's for damn sure.

Ignoring the by-play between the siblings but filing it away for obsessing over later Rogue asks their names.

"I'm Blaze," Darci nods in greeting to their rescuers. "That's Blade."

Damian just grunts in greeting, studying the two male Ferals in entirely too close of quarters for his liking with his baby sister. Thankfully one smells like their Feral female rescuer. And the other is paying zero attention to his little sis…just the way he likes it. Daken had been getting too interested in her before the team's arrival.

Rolling her eyes at the male posturing Rogue told them to stay between Gambit and Deadpool as she motions to each mutant in turn.

"Let's move." She orders.

xXxXxXx

Dara watches in fascination as the two teams of Xavier's move towards their jet, egressing from the Brotherhood's hq with little trouble…on their end. As always Mag's goons put up a good fight but Xavier is better at scouting talent than the Yankees. With the addition of the Wolverine and Co. to his little family the good Professor just became a serious force to be reckoned with.

Nearly pouting at the turn in Dancer's mood Daken watched her watch the X-Men. For all that she's been firmly against choosing a side he senses a choice being made pretty damn soon with how she's staring at them.

"Stop that." She orders absently, studying Darci and Damian for any signs of injury as they kept between a pair of tall, lean mutants. The one with the swords was interesting but the other one in the shades nearly made her itch to see what he's hiding behind them.

"Stop what?" He snipes back.

"Pouting," turning away from her ogling of random mutants she stares him down. "We both know who your real mate is. And we both know she's still too young for you…right?" She arches a brow at him.

"Right," he sighs watching the X-Men leave.

"Hey," she says patting him on one shoulder as she climbs to her feet and moves over to the motorcycles concealed in some brush. "At least you know who yours is. I still have to figure that out. Which means I have to go play happy-families with Xavier." She grimaces.

"There is that." Daken nods, straddling his own bike. At least when his little wildcat finally comes of age he'll only have to deal with an irate father and an irritating brother. Dancer and Luna already gave their approval…which should lessen the blood shed by a considerable degree.

xXxXxXx

Onboard the Blackbird Darci and Damian were submitting to a round of medical exams and questions from their rescuers. Even though they said repeatedly that they didn't really need the med exams because…hello…Ferals. But they like to be thorough or whatever.

"We'll be arriving at the Manor shortly and the Professor would like to speak to you then." Scott moved over to sit across from the teenagers. They were handling the whole capture and rescue better than seemed normal. "Until then I have a few questions for you."

Darci nods while Damian just rolls his eyes. It isn't like they're not going to have to go over whatever he asks again with Xavier.

"Any idea what Magneto wanted with you?"

Logan just snorts at the question and shares a glance with Victor.

"Uh, to join his mutant army. Duh." Damian says with the annoying smirk common among teens.

Scott restrained his desire to throttle the little punk. Another Feral male with a Feral male attitude. Great. Just awesome. Because Logan and Sabertooth aren't enough of a punishment.

"I think what Scott is trying to ask," Rogue interrupts. Scott and Ferals isn't the best mixture. You know. Ever. "Is why Magneto would go through the trouble to kidnap you."

Darci shrugs still taken aback by how Rogue looks. Not her hair or how she dresses but her body and her facial features.

"Our parents are mercs. They don't really bat for either team if you know what I mean. And that'll never really change." She says with a sigh. "But our sister…"

"Yeah," Damian nods. "I could see that."

"What?" Emma asks. As ever reading Ferals could be frustrating especially since the boy's thoughts were centered around a naked Storm and the girl's were obsessed with Rogue's face for some reason.

"Dancer will play for whatever team we choose if only just to 'protect' us." Darci explains with air quotes around protect. "So if Magneto or Professor X or Dr. Sinister or whoever can recruit us…they get her."

"Kinda like buying a pair of tickets to see a concert and getting a private box for free." Damian said with a laugh. "Cause while we'll be damn good as mercs or whatever we want…Dancer's dangerous and one of the most sought after assets there is."

"You said she has somethin' goin' on with my kid." Logan said abruptly. "What's the deal there?" He asks willing to pump anyone for information on his estranged son, even a couple of chatty teens.

Damian just growls and folds his arms over his chest with a scowl as he looks off into nowhere. Darci on the other hand blushes and starts to stutter.

"Had." She finally says softly with a sigh. "She had a thing going with Daken off and on for years. She said they were "almost mates" but couldn't figure it out since as far as either one of them knew they didn't have any blood relatives to account for the almost-but-not-quite-connection. Then…"

"Daken found out about his long-lost father and uncle." Victor grunts with a disgruntled look at his little brother. "Great. Your brat's screwed around with either my or my son's mate."

"How do you figure?" Angel asks what all the X-Men are dying to know, everyone suddenly enraptured by this new drama.

"Logan already knows who his mate is." Rogue says quietly. "Which means this Skydancer is mate to either Victor or Graydon." She says the latter name with a grimace. If Graydon was her mate she'd have an affair with Daken too. Bigoted asshole.

Sabertooth just shrugs as he tries to control his desire to snarl. Little puissant with daddy-issue taking what doesn't belong to him. Daken better hope he doesn't run into his doting uncle anytime soon.

"Which means…" Wade trails off with a grin at Logan. This is too good.

Darci just laughs as she joins Deadpool in grinning at Wolverine. "Logan is my future father-in-law."

"Not if I gut Daken first." Damian growls. "Fucker messing with both my sisters. Kill the big bastard."

Victor chuffs in agreement. Maybe the new runt has some spine after all.

"That's lovely." Scott breaks into the budding argument. "But we're here and the twins have a meeting to attend."

xXxXxXx

"Welcome, welcome. Blaze, Blade." The Professor stands and greets the twins, rounding his desk and motioning them into the chairs before it as he props himself against the front of it. "I'm glad you're here. I wish the circumstances were different than what they are but…"

"We understand, Professor." Darci says with a smile.

"We appreciate the rescue." Damian adds.

"That is rather what we do here." Charles says looking back and forth between them. "Have you made a decision yet regarding what we discussed last week?"

Darci sighs. "Unfortunately this latest attempt by Magneto has rather forced our hands. We've decided to come and stay here while we get our college degrees. And we will train with your junior X-Men. However…"

"We reserve the right to leave at any time." Damian finishes for her. "With our family…"

"Yes," Charles says, nodding and standing upright. "I understand, you need say no more."

"There is one thing…" Darci started, not sure how to broach the subject.

"Your sister?"

"Well…yes and no." Damian says, shaking his head. "Dancer will come here eventually…of that we have no doubt. It's what will happen once she does that we're worried about."

"If it's her past you needn't worry on that score. We've others here with similar backgrounds."

"I rather doubt that." Darci says thinking about who Dancer was before getting her wings and finding her family. "That isn't it…not really anyway."

Charles just stares at them confused. Right now he really regrets his rule of not prying into people's minds without their permission.

"It's Rogue…"

xXxXxXx

Rogue drags herself into her room and collapses onto her soft, wonderful mattress. Thank god it's Saturday and she doesn't have any classes today. And that she has a firm no-Danger-Room-after-missions policy. Just as she was thinking about taking off her boots and just staying in this position all day the mattress shifted as another kneeled on the soft bed.

With a questioning groan she acknowledges Logan as he straddles her back on the bed.

"Relax, darlin'," he leans down and whispers in her ear. "You're covered from neck to toe. I just wanna give you a little somethin' to help with the knots you've built up over the last couple days."

"Whatcha got in mind, sugar?" She asks turning her head to the side so she can shoot him a glance.

Cracking his knuckles he sets to work loosening her up with a massage.

"Massage followed by one of those girly bubble baths you love so much." He says beginning to work on her shoulders and neck.

With a moan she buries her face back into the bedding.

A tease. That's what he is. A goddamned tease.


	7. Chapter 7

**Skydancer**

_Disclaimer: Only my OC's belong to me. Everything else is Marvel/Fox's._

**Seven**

Rogue relaxes back into the Jacuzzi tub, watching Logan watch her from his seat on the marble countertop. Besides the fact that his former room just feels like him, this bathroom was the reason she took it over as her own. A huge garden tub with jets and a wonderful temperature controlled rain shower aren't easy to come by in a mansion filled to the brim with teens where space can be at a premium. Granted, this bathroom didn't have these luxuries when Logan lived here.

No, no. Rogue added them herself with part of her inheritance she came into when she turned twenty-one. Her adoptive parents may have disowned her when her mutation erupted but they couldn't do a damned thing about the trust fund left to her by her adoptive mother's parents. But Logan's bathroom used to have a lot of unused space that has been reallocated during Rogue' remodel.

Watching her like the predator he is, Logan nearly groaned when she lifted one long leg out of the concealing bubbles and started to run her poof over it.

"Are you tryin' to kill me, darlin'?"

She laughs. "You asked if you could join me once I was in the water. Wanted to talk some more, remember? Not my fault if it's bitin' you in the ass."

Logan just grunts as his erection became painful behind his zipper.

_Don't fuck it up. _Wolverine snarls at him. _We just got her back. Don't fuck it up._

_Can it furball. It's your damned kid that's the problem right now. I was checked out when you knocked up Itsu…remember?_

The Wolverine just snarls some more at him, pissed at the reminder of that colossal error in judgment.

"So you've got a son, sugar?"

"Yeah. Daken." Logan rubs one hand sheepishly through his hair. "He's kinda a bastard. Like me. And has been holdin' a grudge for the better part of fifty-some years now."

"He look mighty fine for a man of his years." Rogue observed studying him closely as she lowers her legs back into the water. "But then…so do you."

"Yeah." Logan grunts. "He's like me that way. Got my mutation right down to the claws only his aren't covered in adamantium, they're bone still. Got a little extra too, kinda like the kids settlin' in downstairs. He can push pheromones out through his pores. Makes him irresistible to a certain kinda female."

She'd leave that red herring alone for the moment.

"Why's he mad at you? He is mad at you from what I gathered earlier, right?"

"Yeah." Logan looks off into the distance. "I liked this woman once. She was from Japan, went by Itsu. She was from a yakuza family but I saved her dad's life one time so he arranged a marriage between us. I…hell." He shakes his head at his stupidity. "I thought maybe I could be normal, ya know? Have the whole family deal. Except…"

"The nightmares." Marie whispers. "Not all of them are about the labs."

"No. So I had one and popped my claws." He did so know, looking down and the six shiny pieces of metal. "She called me a demon and worse. Had her father try an' kill me. Didn't take but I got the hint and took off."

"But she was pregnant."

"Yup and I was fucking clueless." He snarls. "Then Daken showed up 'bout a year ago. Tried to kill me. Almost did take that time. Managed to call a truce but I'm still not his favorite person."

She chuckled, she really couldn't help herself. Logan really is an expert at fucking himself over.

"That oughta be real interestin' since with little Blaze here he's probably goin' to show up sooner rather than later."

Logan just smirks. That little girl sure is fiery. She's gonna give his kid a run for him money. Just like his Marie.

Turning on her side she props her cheek on the lip of the tub and sighs as she felt the tension in her muscles wash away under the jets. The pulsing waves of hot water combined with Logan's back rub really was doing wonders.

"What've you been up to while I was gone, darlin'," Logan asks. They've talked all about him but not really anything about her. "Other than makin' Captain and joining up full-time with the X-Geeks, that is."

She hums under her breath, closing her eyes.

"Lota missions. Some good…some bad. Broke some bones I hadn't broken before and some others I had." She shrugs. No big deal. "Broke up wi' Bobby. Made friends wi' Kurt. Stopped bein' friends wi' Scott."

"How'd that happen?" He asks. Before it almost seemed like ol' One-Eye was close to taking Logan's best-friend away from 'im. Then he comes back from the dead and barely manages to be professional with a woman who he used to treat like a younger sister.

Marie sighs. This one is goin' to hurt and bring up allota bad memories for both of them. Sitting up she motions for him to close his eyes then gets up and towels off quickly before donning her silk kimono – a gift for her eighteenth from Logan. Back before Jean tried to blow up the world. Four years and a lot of tears ago.

Watching the emotions cross her face Logan follows her back into her room and takes a seat in the overstuffed men's club chair flanking her bed, tapping one finger against his dog tags hanging from the post above her head on his way. The dream catcher he made her for her seventeenth birthday was in a place of honor above her headboard. If there was anyone who needs a talisman for good dreams, god knows it's her. He's all over the room that used to be his. It satisfies a deep, primal need of his to see his gifts and mementos from him surrounding her in her private space.

Stroking one hand down her quilted silk comforter in its design of a wolf howling at the moon she props herself up against her throw pillows and lays on her side and faces him, her head resting on her palm.

"Same thing that happened with you Logan." She says as gently as she can. "When we found him after…well…after, he was a wreck. The woman he loved was possessed by something she wasn't strong enough to fight. And that something not only tried to kill him but is inside of me now. His friend, one he thought of like a little sister killed the woman he loved." She shakes her head and closes her eyes, the bleak look on Logan's face killing her as he realizes just how bad of a situation he left her in. "He tried to kill me, Logan."

"What?" Coming from someone else he wouldn't believe it of Cyclopes. But this is his Marie and his Marie has never lied to him. Not even to spare him a heartbreaking truth.

Looking him dead in the eye she repeated herself.

"Scott tried to kill me, Logan." Before he could jump to his feet and go finish the job the Phoenix started that day at Alkali Lake she held up one hand. "He wasn't himself, Logan. He was grieving and the thing, the creature that caused his wife to go insane, the creature that tried to kill both him and the Professor was living inside me. And I had held onto Jean until there was nothing left, Logan. I emptied her out, everything she was. I had this idea that I could stop when the Phoenix was gone but…"

"She didn't let you." Logan whispered, finishing her thought. "I was there," he arches a brow at her. "I remember. The two of you floating in the air, wrapped up in her power. Both of you screaming. Both of you with those veins running under your skin like living, breathing tattoos. Then you jolted. Your eyes flashed black like the Phoenix's and then went blank. You went limp. You tried to let go. And. She. Held. On. She wanted to die."

"Yes," Marie whispers as a tear falls from the corner of one eye. "She did. Jean wanted to die because she thought the Phoenix killed Charles and Scott. And the Phoenix wanted to rip everything I was out of me. To lock me up and keep me prisoner in mah own mind. But I stopped her. I was stronger than her."

She looks up, staring him down with something between hurt and understanding.

"It took me months to come back to mahself all the way, Logan. And when I did…"

"I was gone and Cyke tried to kill ya." Cursing he rose to pace, one hand rubbing the back of his neck.

Rising she moves over to her desk and removes a bottle of Scotch ignoring his incredulous look. Pouring them both a glass she hands one to him before sitting on the end of her bed, one leg tucked up underneath her and propped back on one arm. Clinking glasses with him she takes a long drink, holding his gaze as he does the same.

"Water under the bridge," she says toasting him with her glass. "You're here now. And Scott and I are ok. We'll never get back to where we were, that bridge was burned to ask with one blast from his eyes. But…we are what we are and we move on."

"Jesus, darlin'," he takes a deep drink of his own. "You sure as hell don't think like any other twenty-something anywhere on the planet."

She laughs, tossing back her heavy mane of hair. "You already knew that, sugar."

"Yeah…yeah I did." Finishing his drink he put the glass down on her desk next to the bottle. Moving over to her on the bed he took her glass and set it next to its mate with a firm movement. Sitting down next to her, ignoring all of the dewy, deadly skin on display he leans in close. "Just let me…" he breathes, staring deep into her eyes.

Seeing the watchful, wary look in her eyes he threads one hand into her hair taking care not to touch her scalp and closes that last inch between them.

It was a devastating kiss six years in the making and it was worth every second between then and now. Lips parting in a gasp, Rogue clung her hands onto his flannel shirt, enjoying the rough texture under her soft palms. His teeth nip lightly at her bottom lip, encouraging her to let him in. Then the telltale tingle started behind his eyes. Stealing one last brush of her lips he pulled back, staring into her dazed eyes.

"Worth it." He breathed, catching her tear on the tip of his tongue.

Easing back he pulls away, disentangling them from each other, watching with predatory eyes as her heaving breath threatened to part the thin silken veil blocking his view of what promised to be a beautiful body. Seeing his look she shudders out a last breath before falling onto her back on the bed and tightening the tie on her robe.

Blowing out a breath as she forces herself to calm down she turns her head to look at him out of still-glazed eyes.

"Definitely worth it." She laughs joyfully. "You were playing with fire there at the end. Much longer and I'd have to explain to the cranky kitty why he's peeling his little brother outta my bed and down to the med bay."

Thinking for a second he gives her a wicked grin. "Still worth the risk. You back one hell of a punch, sweetheart."

"So I've always been told." Climbing onto her knees she leans towards his boneless figure lounging on her bed. "Care to risk it again?"

Giving a rough sigh he finds his feet, shaking his head. "I wish I could, darlin', you don't even know how much I could. But I have to set up sims in the Danger Room and talk to the guys before dinner."

"I suppose I should go pretend to be a Team Leader and all," she pouts at him a moment. Teasing, she plays with the tie to her robe causing him to let loose a rough groan.

Striding over he gives her one last rough, quick kiss. Running one hand down her hair his kisses her head and walks out the door while he can still control himself.

xXxXxXx

After a cold shower Logan meets up with his team in the Danger Room's control center to program some new ops and go over their game plan for the coming days.

"Oh, ho boys." Victor calls out grinning as he gets a sniff of his brother as he walks grumbling into the room. "Somebody smells like magnolia blossoms and frustration. What's the matter, Jimmy? Someone get shut down by his mate?"

Remy and Wade trade grins, settling in for a good ribbing session with their fearless leader. They all know why they came to the Manor and it has zero to do with a sudden spurt of conscience regarding the state of mutants in the world and everything to do with the Wolverine's epic case of blue balls over one little spitfire.

Oh yeah, the fucker is _sunk_ over white striped hair and a Southern accent.

Not that either his friends or his brother could blame him. Rogue is one hell of a woman even if she is "untouchable."

"Fuck off, Vic. We just got here yesterday. Don't you have a Storm to chase around?"

"Nah," Victor shrugs. "She's all proper and shit now. No fun anymore. Plus if little bit is right and her big sis might be my mate…wouldn't be a good idea to have any bad blood between me and another woman muddying the waters right now."

"Wow." Wade said, shocked. "That was almost…mature of you 'Tooth. Sure you're feelin' ok?"

Dodging the book thrown his way Deadpool laughed at the Feral's reaction as the room erupted in laughter.

"Seriously though, Jimmy." Vic swings around in his chair as his brother set to work next to Remy at the computer console. "Things are getting deep here and fast. What the fuck did we walk into here?"

"Victor's righ' _mon amie._" Remy chimed in, leaning back and cracking his knuckles. "T'ings could be goin' bad now that Mags' been riled up."

"Yeah, I don't really see Eric letting go of those two plus their sister any time soon." Victor agrees with a nod.

"Fuck guys I dunno." Logan says. "Rogue's givin' me a shot with her and I don't wanna fuck it up, no matter what. She's never gonna give me another one." Especially with what he just found out. Him and Cyke are gonna go around soon over that little stunt One-Eye pulled. "I gotta play this out here."

"We get it man," Wade said. "And we're with you. We just don't wanna be pissin' in the wind. We need a plan and we need to get this place squared away if we're gonna make it home."

"The security has holes Gambit could steal a truck through." Remy says shaking his head.

"Did you see that main team during the bull pen?" Victor sighed. "They need a serious wake-up call if all it takes to knock 'em on their asses is two mutants."

"And that Junior team is even worse." Wade mutters spinning one of his katanas in a circle.

"Looks like you each found your assignments." Logan said after thinking about it a moment. "I've gotta do somethin' about the fucked-up leadership goin' on between One-Eye and Rogue. He can't go around showin' his ass all the damn time and underminin' her."

"Sounds like you have everything figured out." Charles said walking into the room. "Might I suggest something?"

Trading a glance with his teammates Logan nods.

"While you are all working on fixing the X-Men, you might want to take this opportunity to get better acquainted with our two newest guests and with Rogue. It might come in handy later on."

"Whata ya mean, Chuck?" Why would Remy and Wade need to do that?

"Well…it behooves me to say that when, and it is when not if, Ms. Skydancer shows up all of you are going to want to be on good terms with her siblings and a cohesive team with Rogue. That is all I have to say on the matter."

xXxXxXx

Walking into the twin's room Angel hands Darci the burner phone and then nodding at the teens takes his leave.

"Hello?" Darci says hesitantly. Dara is going to rip them a new one over this little adventure of theirs.

"Darci," Dara takes a relieved breath, kicking her feet up onto the table in front of her in the dingy bar she said goodbye to Daken at. "Are you guys ok?"

"Yeah," she replies laughing. "We're both fine. Magneto knew better than to try and rough us up. Got a couple scrapes when they grabbed us but no big."

Nodding to herself as she watches the humans scurry around her Dara asks after how they've been treated so far.

"These people are nice for the most part. Almost scary-Stepford nice. It's…different."

Damian snorts from his place on the bed, content as usual to let Darci be the go-between with their sister.

"And the team that rescued you?" Dara keeps her voice monotone. "How were they?"

"Strange actually." Darci says thinking quickly. "None of them really seem like the 'team' type if you know what I mean. But…"

"But?"

"Did Daken tell you anything about a mutant female named Rogue?"

Sitting up Dara clenches her hand around the phone, forcing herself to remain calm.

"That she's powerful and his dad's mate."

Darci snorts into the phone. Of course he did. Daken can be a right bastard even on a good day. And not telling Dara about Rogue would be a good way for him to get back at her for calling in a marker.

"She's a lot more than that." Darci chooses her words carefully. "She looks like you, sis. Like really close. Not the hair but the face, the body...well she doesn't have wings either. But besides that she could be your twin. And she has a power similar to yours too. You don't think…?"

Mentally cursing Daken, Dara stands and strides out of the bar moving towards her bike.

"I won't know unless I meet her." Dara says. "Don't tell them anything. Not one word. I'll be there in a couple of days."

"Dara?" Darci's voice was a little on the timid side.

"Yes?"

"Please don't kill or permanently dismember or disfigure my mate. Please."

"No promises."

Snapping the phone closed Dara straddles the powerful motorcycle and roars out of the parking lot, sending gravel spitting in her wake.


	8. Chapter 8

**Skydancer**

_A/N: Sorry about the wait, here's the next chapter…_

_Disclaimer: __See previous chapters because I'm lazy._

**Eight**

"Victor." Damian says firmly.

"Daken." Darci argues.

"Victor." He growls.

"Daken." She hisses.

"No, Victor."

"No way. Daken."

Walking into the ping-ponging conversation between the Manor's newest students Rogue's newly christened Omega Team came to a halt somewhere between confused and amused at the strange argument at seemed to be escalating with each round.

"What about me, runts?" Victor asks as they spread out through the staff kitchen where the twins were staging their disagreement over bowls of ice cream facing each other across the center island. The other members of the team listened curiously as the young Ferals explained.

"We're _discussing_," Darci stressed the word. "Who we each think will wind up as the ultimate Alpha of the rapidly growing Pack of misfits here."

"Ms. Delusional thinks that her homicidally-inclined mate will be Alpha if he ever shows up."

"And Mr. Idiot thinks that it'll be the cranky-kitty…no offense."

Wanting to distract Sabertooth before he could unleash on the young female Rogue asks a pertinent question.

"How'd y'all come down to those two?"

"Well," Damian gestures with his spoon. "Wolverine is already Sabertooth's second as far as Pack situations go. He's a leader everywhere else except with the Feral hierarchy."

"Beast is a definite Beta," Darci adds with a shrug. "And Damian's too young while Angel is too…Angel."

"Wait, hold up." Wade pops his head out of the panty where he's searching for Logan's hidden bbq Pringles. "_Angel_ is a Feral?"

"Yup." Darci said popping the "p". "Some mutants with animalistic characteristics aren't but most are. Angel is for sure but he's strange for a Feral."

"We can smell it." Victor grunts, still pissed the fuck off over the kitten dissing him for his runt nephew.

"O-kay." Rogue shakes her head.

"Wha' 'bout dat Daken makes ya t'ink he be an Alpha?" Gambit asked, trying to crank up Victor a little bit more. A Feral royal-rumble between the brothers with the new one thrown in would be quite the show. Maybe he could take bets.

"He's Wolverine's son for one." Damian said objectively.

"And he's tough-as-shit for the other." Darci said smugly.

"But." Damian stated bringing the argument back around to the beginning. "One: he's not here."

"Yet."

"Yet," he nods at his sister's interruption. "Two: he won't take on Dancer. Which brings us to three: if Dara really is Victor's mate then there's no way she'll let anyone else be Alpha. Ever. She's pure Alpha and won't except anything less for her mate."

Darci just flips him the bird and sits back pouting into her ice cream as the others laugh around her.

"Glad you guys got that figured out for us." Logan drawls from his seat over by the bay window, Rogue snuggled up firmly against his side.

Damian shrugged.

"We're kinda going nuts waiting for the other shoe to drop. They're both going to show up here sooner or later. We thought Dancer would be here already but…" Darci trails off with a sigh.

Her brother just snickered as he took his bowl over to the sink and rinses it out.

"Daken might've…withheld some important information from Dancer after our rescue…" Hunching over onto the counter top she pushes away her bowl. "At the rate he pisses off my relatives I'm never going to live long enough to actually enjoy having a mate."

"Oh yeah." Wade throws a couple chips at Logan and Victor. "He's your blood for sure."

"Shut up, Wade." Said the brothers almost in unison.

xXxXxXxXx

"The twins seem to be integrating well." Cyclopes noted as he and Rogue watched the younger X-Men go through their sessions in the Danger Room.

"Well enough," Rogue sighs, bracing her hands on the control panel as she watches the activity in the room below. "They're really well trained. I give 'em less than a year before they get added to one-a our teams."

Scott just grunts. They've been here about a week and it's already evident that the twins have no intention of following his orders. They follow Logan or Victor or Rogue. Sometimes the Professor if he gives them direct instructions. But nobody else. Merc-trained or not they're a liability at the moment.

"Scott." Rogue turns to stare at him, pinning him with her gaze. "They're Feral teens. It's only natural that they stick to a hierarchy that they've lived in their whole lives. To them Victor and Logan are their Alphas now with me and the Professa in a kinda similar state of authority cuz-a their Alphas listen to us. It's gonna take time before they come to accept the way things are done here."

He just gives a Logan-esque grunt folding his arms tightly across his chest. His wife Emma told him almost exactly the same thing when he broached the subject with her.

"They listen to you for more reasons than that and you know it." He said, giving her a look through his red shades. "They consider you their female Alpha right now. There's only one reason I can think of for that. So I'm just going to ask. What the fuck is going on with you and Logan?"

"That's between me and Rogue, bub." Logan growls from the control room door. He still has a score to settle with One-Eye over his attempt at Rogue-icide and finding him giving his Marie shit over them isn't helping him reign in his desire to tear out Cyke's large intestine and strangle him with it.

A shrill alarm cancelled out whatever retort Cyclopes was planning on. Rushing over to the console Rogue and Cyclopes keyed up the schematic for the new security system Gambit had been working on with Kitty. Seeing the breach was right at the front gate they relay the information before rushing with the rest of the teams up to the main level only to be met by a strange sight even for the Manor.

Two forms were streaking through the halls, one clearly running from the other giving chase. The runner calling out "Kitten!" as they came around the corner. Dodging around the majority of the group the hulking figure picked up the slight form of Darci and lifted her up in front of himself like a human shield.

"Kitten!" The mutant could only be Daken, he definitely had Logan's rough but attractive features to Rogue's eye. "Save me from your crazy-ass sister!"

"Hiding behind a girl is beneath you, Daken." His pursuer hissed out as she stood seething before the gathered X-Men.

"But prudent." Damian noted wryly as he moved forward to hug the diminutive form of his older half-sister who was nearly bristling with aggression causing more than one X-Man to eye her with caution.

"Ms. Dancer, I presume." Charles greets the knife-wielding be-winged mutant as she whirls to face him as he moves to meet his new…guests.

Sighing with a glare at Daken she sheaths her knives with a nod for the older man. Returning Damian's hug she moved over to stand before her still-aloft sister and her sister's errant mate, tapping one foot and crossing her arms until Daken puts Darci back onto her feet so Dancer can give her a hug in turn.

"Asshole." She hisses at her former lover then kisses her sister's cheek.

With a smirk Daken crosses his arms and jerks his head towards their audience.

"Welcome to Mutant High." He says as her eyes narrow.


	9. Chapter 9

**Skydancer**

_Disclaimer:__ See Chapter 1._

**Nine**

Dancer rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness that is Charles Xavier. He has killers running around all over the Manor and teaching his little mini-mutants and he's "concerned" about the influence Dancer and Daken _could_ have on his white glove policies. Ludicrous.

Plus his smooth-as-silk ass isn't having the best effect on Daken's super-Alpha personality.

Arching a brow she gave a sigh, interrupting the male posturing from Daken, Charles, Scott Summers that is playing dueling banjos on her last nerve.

"Look," she said with a growl cutting off the newest bullshit platitude they're trying to feed her and Daken. "Your problems with us being here are all bullshit." Ignoring the spluttering that came from the two squeaky-clean males on the other side of the desk she continued:

"One: we're not the only killers you've allowed to become teachers _or _students here. Two: Daken is only dangerous to Wolverine when he's not on a job and those two are big boys who can work out their own issues. Three:" she sat forward with piercing eyes shining from under the concealing hood on the cloak that she wears in public. "My siblings are here. You knew, hell _everybody_ knew that when those two sub-adults picked a side in this shit storm that I'd follow just to make sure they survive intact. So I'm not really sure what the stick up your collective asses is all about."

Ignoring the red-faced Scott next to him, Charles sat back and studies the two mutants in front of him.

"To be honest Ms. Dancer, I have reason to be concerned over both of your presences here. Not least among them is that Daken has both an avowed dislike of Logan and is according to your young sister her mate. We can't be seen to condone a relationship between an adult and a minor. This is a school."

Sitting back in her chair Dancer holds up a hand, stopping him right there as Daken began growling again at the implied insult. He's not a damned child molester for Christ's sake.

"There are very specific rules that come into play when an adult Feral finds their mate in a sub-adult or adolescent, Mr. Xavier. Not that I would expect you to understand that since as far as I'm aware you've never done any _real_ research into our society. Nor do I feel like enlightening you since you just insulted Daken as well as my sister and myself by association. But let me be clear: there is nothing about Daken and Darci's relationship that could be considered illegal no matter what state or law you use as your benchmark. That you think I would allow anything distasteful to go on with my own blood is a huge insult to me as an Alpha female."

Scoffing at her insulted tone, Scott barely moved in time to avoid getting a pissed off Feral to the face as Daken grabbed Dancer out of the air mid-pounce.

"Scott." The Professor gave him a stern look. "She's right we don't know nearly enough about Ferals or how they govern themselves. We didn't even know that there were enough around to necessitate a set of rules or laws."

Forcibly calming herself down Dancer dusts off herself after Daken put her back on her feet.

"Look." Daken said at last, tired of the prancing around the subject. "Unless you're planning on letting two powerful mutants walk away, and we would be taking Kitten and her brother with us, or you guys want to see who'd be left standing if you tried to keep them here…you're screwed. You have to accept us. You've got no other choice."

Giving them one last pissed off look, Dancer follows Daken out the door of the Professor's office.

"Well that went well." Daken said sarcastically. "I'm going to go find my Kitten, you going hunting?" He asked with a teasing look.

Sighing she shakes her head. Her fucking concealing cloak is driving her batshit crazy.

"I'm going to go claim a room up with a view and a balcony somewhere near the top of this monstrosity. Daken." She said with a look. "Be careful. I still don't trust these people."

"You never trust anybody."

"I trust you." She whispered with a look. There was massive amounts of fallout that they had to deal with after finding their respective families last year. At least they got to stay friends even though they had to redefine their relationship. They're not as close as they used to be, they barely seem to talk anymore. But at least they can still trust each other.

Watching him walk away from her towards her sister she felt that pain all over again.

_I miss you, Daken._

Shouldering the pack she left in the corridor while they had their meeting with the Professor, she walked away in the opposite direction towards the stairs that lead straight up to the top floor of the Manor. Her mate – possibly mates – rooms are up there. Time to go figure out if her real mate or mates were worth everything she gave up for them.

xXxXxXxXxXx

At the end of a long corridor ripe with the scents of the Manor's pack Alphas Sabertooth and Wolverine as well as a few other scent markers, Dancer found her perfect room. The last room on this floor it has an access spiral stairwell tucked in one corner taking up a chunk of the largish room that leads to one of the tower balconies with a cat walk, perfect for a mutant with wings. Which is no doubt why the room is empty despite having a great bathroom: the stairwell and balcony are useless for other mutants and severely hinder the amount of room one has to maneuver inside the room.

If she was any bigger she'd have issues with how close the dresser, bed, and the doors to the bathroom, closet, and corridor all sit. Thankfully except for her wings, she's still as small and "delicate" as she was as a prima ballerina.

She tore off her cloak and threw her clothes into the right spots in the dresser and closet as she lets her wings have a good stretch. She loves her wings but they're so damned distinctive that she keeps them hidden far too much of the time. Her weapons she left in their locked cases, secreting them in the nightstand and under the queen sized bed except for the knife she keeps on herself at all times.

Cracking her neck she was getting ready to go out on her balcony for a flight when her door opened without warning. The work of a master of sneakiness, since she didn't hear so much as a breath coming from the hallway in warning. Thus when that massive Feral entered her room, her cloak was still strewn across the foot of her bed and her concealing mask that she wears when the cloak isn't necessary is sitting on top of the dresser an inch from her hand.

"Holy fuck." Victor said in surprise as he got his first good look at her. "No wonder you came here."

"Shut the door, would you?" She asked in her low, velvety voice. "It's not something I'm planning on advertising just yet."

Shrugging Victor did as she asked, moving farther into the room, head cocked to one side. There's differences but those mostly could be accounted for by two women leading vastly difference lives. Dancer's hair is a pure dark satin brown instead of Rogue's lighter brown with white stripes. Dancer's features are a little leaner, her body is more muscle and less soft curves. And the big one: a pair of big-ass marbled black/grey wings.

"So sisters, lab experiment, what?" Victor asked coming to a stop before her, his inner big cat purring at the scent of her.

"Sisters, identical twins who were separated by our biological mother and basically sold to 'appropriate' adoptive families." Dancer said still bitter at the shit Mystique pulled with them before they could even walk. "We were a glorified experiment on how we would turn out depending on how we were raised except…"

"You wound up being mutants." He finished for her, moving to rest his hands on the dresser behind her, encircling her in his arms as he leaned down to sniff at her hair.

"Our genes were supposed to be recessed like our mother's first son but the doctor who performed the tests fucked over the results so our mother would give us up." She still sends that man a gift basket every Christmas.

He leaned into her brushing her body with his own as he kept her trapped between his massive body and the dresser behind her, careful not to pressure her to the point of hurting those wings. Wouldn't to do hurt his mate before they've even kissed.

"You plannin' on tellin' anyone?" He asked in a whisper next to her ear. "Cuz your twin is mated to my brother and I don't keep shit like that from Jimmy."

She sighed tilting her head back to look into his golden cat-like eyes. "Eventually." She said. "I want to get the lay of the land first. You wouldn't know it but I used to be pretty famous before I got the wings. In more ways than one. I need to figure some shit out first before I completely fuck up my life."

Nipping lightly at her neck, Victor reins in Sabertooth. Pressuring this one won't get him the outcome they desire. She'll just take off or kill him. Either one is unacceptable.

Standing up straight he pins her with a pissed gaze as he tugs her over to sit on the bed. There's one thing he has to get straight before anything else.

"What the fuck is up with you and Jimmy's runt?"

Groaning she leans forward and propping her elbows on her knees rubs her forehead with her hands. She's already struggling with this shit now she has a tiger-wannabe-mate in her face about it.

"Nothing anymore. Not since we found out last year that we both have family still alive and kicking. Daken and Darci have worked it out, not that it wasn't a rough couple of months for them to do so but still they got passed it eventually. I'm…working on it."

"You were more than just fuck buddies weren't you?" He asked, understanding beginning to fill him. He's had more than his share of affairs and one-nighters over the years. A couple of them lasted a long-assed time. He could see how she would still be fucked up about sleeping with her sister's mate a year later. Shit, _he_'s fucked up about it and he didn't know either one of them existed then.

"Yeah, we were." She said quietly, staring down and the hands that hung down between her knees. "We were friends, and colleagues, partners. We were a lot of things to each other and it hurts like hell that we lost that when we found our families. But maybe…" she shrugs looking up at him through her hair. "Once we've both settled with our mates we'll be able to get some of that back. Until then…"

"You act like it doesn't kill you when you watch him laughing with your little sister the way he used to laugh with you."

"Yeah, pretty much." Sitting up she laughs, sending him a teasing glance from under her lashes. "You know of everyone I figured you'd be the most hard-assed about this."

"Shit, dove." He said stroking one hand down a wing. "I'm two hundred years old. I've seen a lot of shit and been around a lot of women in that time. I didn't expect my mate to be lily-white. And you were honest with me. That's important to me."

Giving him a crooked grin she flicked him lightly with the wing he seemed content to play with. Just a big-assed cat at heart.

"I need to go for a flight with Angel, get the lay of the land from up there before I do anything else." She said standing with a stretch as she moved to put her soft silk black mask on. "Don't think I didn't hear you use the m-word there. We've still gotta talk about that."

"What's there to talk about?" Victor said with a frown. "We're mates, I know it and unless I'm mistaken so do you."

Looking down at him from the top of the spiral stairs she calls down:

"But who said you're my _only_ mate?"

Sprinting out to the balcony and taking off before he could catch her she spins teasingly in the air just out of reach as he stands seething in the window.

_Yep. A big, territorial cat at heart._

xXxXxXxXxXx

_A/N: I hope this cleared up some of the issues with the whole Dancer/Daken back story. It'll come into play several times as the Ferals try and combine into one cohesive pack._


	10. Chapter 10

**Skydancer**

_Disclaimer: X-Men belongs to Marvel/Fox._

**Ten**

Dancer padded warily through the hallways of the school. After her flight and recon with Angel she sat down for an update with her little brother before finding her way to the Danger Room.

At the moment she's working on a plan of avoidance all-around, keeping well away from Rogue, her other siblings, Daken, and especially Victor and the other members of the "Omega" team. Just shy of being an Omega-class mutant herself, she has a feeling that's where her and Daken are going to end up…and isn't that just peachy.

Her former lover – that she still has some feelings for – with her possible mates and her doesn't-know-it-but-you're-my-twin all in the same freaking team.

Yay.

She should've just kept her ass at her place in Washington and let the younger twins sort themselves out. Just because she promised she'd take care of them doesn't mean she needed to uproot her entire life and get involved with the fucking X-Men and their fucking high-handed morals while she was at it.

Even if she was insatiably curious about her formerly-missing twin sister.

It was times like this that she really wanted to curse fate for a bitch.

All these Ferals – including herself – all under one roof with a whole mess of pheromones and mating instincts flying around is nothing but a recipe for disaster. And she's right in the fucking middle of it.

Sensing something she paused, turning her head a fraction of an inch to one side for a long moment as she listened closely before continuing on.

All this bullshit is messing with her head and she only knows to things that will help her get herself sorted out: fucking and fighting.

And since the first one part of the damn problem…

She knows exactly to go for the second…

*x*x*x*x*x*

Remy and Wade pause for a long minute as the masked woman made her way down into the underhalls of the Manor.

_Petite belle is good. _Remy thought to himself as she almost spotted her two tails.

It's not like they were tailing her under orders…per se.

_Non_, Remy and Wade were just interested in this one little merc that has the whole of the X-Men in a tizzy…including the usually unflappable Sabertooth. The whole Manor heard the roar that came from their team's hallway after Victor followed Dancer upstairs "to talk."

Shortly thereafter Victor took off on his bike towards one of the rowdier local bars…since he can't work out his aggression in the Danger Room or the gym like every other Feral living in the mansion. But the big Feral's temporary walkabout gave Wade and Remy a good opportunity to do a little sneaking around without his nose picking up on their activities.

And thankfully Logan and Rogue were too busy trying to figure their shit out to worry too much about anyone else.

Once the little mutant selected her program and entered the Danger Room, Remy crept into the control center, followed by Wade right on his heels.

The two of them together were as always a recipe for mischief.

Peering through the window, Remy let out a gasp as she took off her mask.

"_Mon dieu." _He breathed trading an incredulous glance with Wade. "She looks just like her."

"But she doesn't fight like her." Wade noted, watching Dancer, well…_dance_ through her opponents. "Rogue is a street fighter, down-and-dirty. Dancer's been trained and from a young age if the rumors are true. She all technique and logic to Rogue's instinct and grit."

Remy nodded, agreeing with his friend's assessment.

"Their powers be different too." He said after a moment. "An' it's no' just those wings, _mon ami._ The Dancer, she can touch and does if the rumors be true."

Wade just snorted a laugh, picturing Victor's face when he found out that _his Mate_ had a long-running affair with his nephew.

"That's one thing I'm not looking forward too." He mentioned after a moment.

Remy just gave him a curious glance.

"All of you guys are old enough that weird shit like having a son old enough to boink your woman is viable. Shit, Vic and Logan could have great-great-grandsons old enough to boink their women. I'm still a young'n yet. Don't know how y'all deal with the mind-fuck factor yet."

"You stop worrying about age, for one." Remy answered after thinking about it for a moment. "Except for where things like a _fille_ being too young counts. Other dan dat…" He just shrugged, not sure how to explain it to the other mutant.

Dancer shook her head inside the Danger Room. The idiots didn't notice that the speaker was on.

"Plus," she added to their surprise as her voice came into the room. "It's not like Daken and I _knew_ or planned it. It just turned out that way."

Moving over to the glass she motioned for them to join her in the hall as the simulation ended. Wordlessly the three of them moved back upstairs, finding themselves in the rec room before she stopped and took a seat, mask dangling uselessly in one hand.

"Well," she said after a moment, cracking her neck. "Now you two know my big secret as well. Try and keep it under wraps for the next little while, ok?"

They trade a glance before nodding.

They'll keep her secret…for now.


End file.
